NameCensus.

UK surname

Kilbride

A surname derived from a place name in Ireland, possibly referring to a church on a hill.

In the 1881 census there were 303 people recorded with the Kilbride surname, ranking it #9,654 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 802, ranked #6,897, up from #9,654 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Manchester, Wakefield and Glasgow. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Glenwood South, Ross and Cromarty South West and Kilsyth East and Croy.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kilbride is 802 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 164.7%.

1881 census count

303

Ranked #9,654

Modern count

802

2016, ranked #6,897

Peak year

2016

802 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kilbride had 303 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,654 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 802 in 2016, ranked #6,897.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 341 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Kilbride surname distribution map

The map shows where the Kilbride surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Kilbride surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kilbride over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 76 #20,127
1861 historical 123 #17,914
1881 historical 303 #9,654
1891 historical 339 #10,089
1901 historical 341 #10,629
1911 historical 273 #12,177
1997 modern 652 #7,641
1998 modern 695 #7,514
1999 modern 701 #7,506
2000 modern 724 #7,312
2001 modern 700 #7,367
2002 modern 730 #7,255
2003 modern 723 #7,203
2004 modern 731 #7,155
2005 modern 718 #7,177
2006 modern 720 #7,201
2007 modern 733 #7,186
2008 modern 740 #7,176
2009 modern 762 #7,162
2010 modern 789 #7,107
2011 modern 778 #7,107
2012 modern 772 #7,066
2013 modern 792 #7,020
2014 modern 800 #7,001
2015 modern 792 #6,990
2016 modern 802 #6,897

Geography

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Where Kilbrides are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Manchester, Wakefield, Glasgow, Bradford and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Glenwood South, Ross and Cromarty South West, Kilsyth East and Croy, Burnley and Leeds. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Manchester Lancashire
2 Wakefield Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Glasgow Lanark
4 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Glenwood South Glasgow City
2 Ross and Cromarty South West Highland
3 Kilsyth East and Croy North Lanarkshire
4 Burnley 001 Burnley
5 Leeds 098 Leeds

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kilbride

These lists show first names that appear often with the Kilbride surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kilbride

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Kilbride, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Kilbride surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Kilbride household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Kilbride is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Kilbride is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Kilbride falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Kilbride is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

This describes the area pattern most associated with Kilbride, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Kilbride

The surname Kilbride has its origins in Ireland, dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Irish Gaelic phrase "Cill Bhríde," which translates to "St. Bridget's Church." This suggests that the name was initially given to individuals who lived near or were associated with a church dedicated to the Irish saint, St. Bridget.

The name is closely tied to the town of Kilbride in County Wicklow, Ireland, which was likely named after a church or monastery dedicated to St. Bridget. It is believed that the earliest bearers of the surname Kilbride were inhabitants of this town or the surrounding areas.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kilbride can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. In the annals, a man named Gilla-Patraic Ua Cillebride is mentioned in the year 1200.

In the 14th century, a notable figure named John Kilbride served as the Bishop of Down and Connor in Ireland from 1367 to 1399. Another prominent individual with this surname was Patrick Kilbride, who lived in the 16th century and was a renowned Irish poet and scholar.

In the 17th century, a man named William Kilbride (1597-1675) was a Scottish minister and author who wrote several religious works. He was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, and is considered one of the earliest recorded bearers of the name outside of Ireland.

During the 18th century, the Kilbride family had a significant presence in County Mayo, Ireland. One notable member was Theobald Kilbride (1722-1804), who was a landowner and magistrate in the area.

In more recent history, James Kilbride (1834-1910) was an Irish-American businessman and politician who served as the mayor of Paterson, New Jersey, in the late 19th century.

While the surname Kilbride is predominantly associated with Ireland, it has also been found in other parts of the world due to Irish emigration and diaspora. The name has been documented in various spellings, such as Kilbryde, Kilbridd, and Kilbride, reflecting regional variations and adaptations over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kilbride families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kilbride surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Yorkshire leads with 105 Kilbrides recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.58x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 105 3.58x
Lancashire 70 2.00x
Cheshire 25 3.83x
Lanarkshire 25 2.62x
Durham 21 2.39x
Middlesex 15 0.51x
Midlothian 12 3.03x
Stirlingshire 8 7.34x
Dunbartonshire 7 8.81x
Glamorgan 5 0.97x
Cumberland 2 0.79x
Derbyshire 2 0.43x
Hampshire 2 0.33x
Devon 1 0.16x
Pembrokeshire 1 1.06x
Staffordshire 1 0.10x
Westmorland 1 1.54x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wakefield in Yorkshire leads with 21 Kilbrides recorded in 1881 and an index of 93.42x.

Place Total Index
Wakefield 21 93.42x
Bradford 19 26.80x
Leeds 16 9.67x
Barony 12 4.96x
Birkenhead 11 21.15x
Manchester 11 6.97x
Wigan 10 20.40x
Ecclesfield 9 41.92x
Glasgow 9 5.30x
Holy Trinity 8 11.36x
Muiravonside 8 288.81x
Newton In Ashton Under 8 124.22x
Trimdon 8 257.23x
Wavertree 8 71.24x
Cardross 7 73.38x
Islington London 7 2.44x
Kirknewton 7 614.04x
Liverpool 7 3.29x
Barrow In Furness 6 12.58x
Bromley London 6 9.23x
Newton 6 22.20x
Shildon 6 84.87x
Stockport 6 17.87x
Tankersley 6 275.23x
West Derby 6 5.85x
Ashton Under Lyne 5 6.52x
Hunslet 5 10.95x
Everton 4 3.58x
Hulme 4 5.46x
Merthyr Tydfil 4 8.09x
Westoe 4 8.02x
Lasswade 3 33.15x
Nafferton 3 240.00x
Sheffield 3 3.22x
Barnsley 2 6.62x
Edinburgh Lady Yesters 2 72.99x
Govan 2 0.85x
Little Bolton 2 4.44x
Northowram 2 9.74x
St Pancras London 2 0.84x
Stranton 2 6.76x
Whitehaven 2 14.75x
Alverstoke 1 4.56x
Armley 1 7.74x
Barwick In Elmet 1 44.64x
Bishopwearmouth 1 1.33x
Bothwell 1 3.86x
Burton Upon Trent 1 4.28x
Caldwell 1 555.56x
Calverley Cum Farsley 1 12.02x
Casterton 1 169.49x
Derby St Alkmund 1 7.21x
Glossop Dale 1 4.61x
Holme On Spalding Moor 1 52.08x
Holy Trinity St Mary 1 22.42x
Hubberston 1 72.46x
Kingstonupon Hull 1 42.55x
Kirkdale 1 1.69x
Lidford 1 36.23x
Portsea 1 0.84x
Potter Newton 1 19.34x
Roath 1 4.28x
Shettleston 1 11.68x
Sutton 1 29.94x
Wistow 1 128.21x
Wortley In Wortley 1 86.96x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Kilbride surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Kilbride surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 26
James 21
Patrick 14
Thomas 10
William 9
Joseph 5
Michael 5
Edward 4
Charles 2
Daniel 2
Geo. 2
Hugh 2
Michl. 2
Owen 2
Thos. 2
Andrew 1
Ar. 1
Christopher 1
Dennis 1
Dominick 1
Emanuel 1
Francis 1
George 1
Henry 1
Ja. 1
Jno. 1
Luke 1
Mark 1
Martin 1
Matthew 1
Michal 1
Oratio 1
Pat 1
Patrich 1
Peter 1
Robert 1
Saml. 1
Terance 1

FAQ

Kilbride surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kilbride surname in 1881?

In 1881, 303 people were recorded with the Kilbride surname. That placed it at #9,654 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kilbride surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 802 in 2016. That gives Kilbride a modern rank of #6,897.

What does the Kilbride surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name in Ireland, possibly referring to a church on a hill.

What does the Kilbride map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Kilbride bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.