NameCensus.

UK surname

Kilburn

A locational surname referring to someone from Kilburn, England, meaning "stream by a church" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 1,542 people recorded with the Kilburn surname, ranking it #2,724 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,454, ranked #4,230, down from #2,724 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Auckland St Andrew, Thornhill and Birstall. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Logie and Blackness and Kirklees.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kilburn is 2,015 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 5.7%.

1881 census count

1,542

Ranked #2,724

Modern count

1,454

2016, ranked #4,230

Peak year

1911

2,015 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kilburn had 1,542 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,724 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,454 in 2016, ranked #4,230.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,015 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Kilburn surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kilburn surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kilburn 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 753 #3,529
1861 historical 684 #3,936
1881 historical 1,542 #2,724
1891 historical 1,574 #2,821
1901 historical 1,902 #2,779
1911 historical 2,015 #2,470
1997 modern 1,526 #3,853
1998 modern 1,561 #3,913
1999 modern 1,545 #3,979
2000 modern 1,507 #4,049
2001 modern 1,499 #3,985
2002 modern 1,518 #4,029
2003 modern 1,491 #4,023
2004 modern 1,470 #4,070
2005 modern 1,445 #4,080
2006 modern 1,445 #4,092
2007 modern 1,435 #4,151
2008 modern 1,451 #4,136
2009 modern 1,483 #4,153
2010 modern 1,533 #4,130
2011 modern 1,521 #4,107
2012 modern 1,485 #4,126
2013 modern 1,481 #4,189
2014 modern 1,501 #4,175
2015 modern 1,472 #4,206
2016 modern 1,454 #4,230

Geography

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Where Kilburns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Auckland St Andrew, Thornhill, Birstall, Manchester and Batley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Logie and Blackness and Kirklees. 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 Auckland St Andrew Durham
2 Thornhill Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Birstall Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Batley Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Logie and Blackness Dundee City
2 Kirklees 018 Kirklees
3 Kirklees 026 Kirklees
4 Kirklees 005 Kirklees
5 Kirklees 014 Kirklees

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kilburn

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kilburn

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Kilburn, 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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Kilburn surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Kilburn household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Kilburn 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

Kilburn 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

Kilburn 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 Kilburn 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Kilburn

The surname Kilburn originated in England and dates back to the medieval period. It is a locational name derived from the place name Kilburn, which is found in several locations across England, including Derbyshire, North Yorkshire, and London. The name is believed to come from the Old English words "cyl" or "cyll," meaning a spring or stream, and "burna," meaning a small stream or brook.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Kilburn can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Chileburne" in reference to a location in Derbyshire. This suggests that the name was already established by the late 11th century.

In the 13th century, a person named William de Kilburn was mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1292, indicating the presence of the surname in that region during that time period.

The earliest known bearer of the Kilburn surname was John Kilburn, who was born around 1520 in Thorganby, Yorkshire. He was a prominent figure in the local community and served as a church warden.

Another notable individual with the surname Kilburn was William Kilburn (1745-1818), an English architect and surveyor who worked on various projects in London, including the redevelopment of Regent's Park.

In the 19th century, Henry Kilburn (1824-1887) was a British photographer and traveler who documented numerous locations in the Middle East and Asia through his photographic works.

The surname Kilburn also has connections to place names, such as Kilburn in North London, which is believed to have derived its name from the same Old English origins as the surname.

Throughout history, several other individuals with the surname Kilburn have made notable contributions in various fields, including writers, artists, and academics, further solidifying the historical significance of this surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kilburn families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kilburn 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 878 Kilburns recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.89x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 878 5.89x
Durham 125 2.79x
Lancashire 120 0.67x
Middlesex 63 0.42x
Essex 49 1.65x
Derbyshire 39 1.66x
Leicestershire 28 1.68x
Northamptonshire 28 1.98x
Warwickshire 24 0.63x
Surrey 22 0.30x
Hampshire 21 0.68x
Norfolk 21 0.91x
Cumberland 15 1.16x
Nottinghamshire 14 0.69x
Cheshire 13 0.39x
Kent 12 0.23x
Clackmannanshire 11 8.85x
Suffolk 10 0.55x
Cambridgeshire 9 0.94x
Lincolnshire 9 0.37x
Sussex 8 0.32x
Selkirkshire 5 3.67x
Buckinghamshire 4 0.44x
Northumberland 4 0.18x
Westmorland 4 1.21x
Staffordshire 2 0.04x
Lanarkshire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dewsbury in Yorkshire leads with 69 Kilburns recorded in 1881 and an index of 45.11x.

Place Total Index
Dewsbury 69 45.11x
Soothill 62 115.07x
Thornhill 56 128.68x
Batley 52 36.68x
Liversedge 38 57.23x
Bradford 28 7.75x
Huddersfield 28 12.89x
Garforth 27 236.43x
Hunslet 25 10.75x
West Ham 25 3.81x
Holy Trinity 22 6.13x
Hipperholme Cum 21 32.04x
Rothwell 21 69.70x
Liverpool 20 1.84x
Mirfield 18 21.98x
Muker 18 417.63x
Sawley 18 253.16x
Bishop Auckland 17 28.30x
Gomersal 16 22.98x
Loughborough 16 21.13x
Cleckheaton 15 27.30x
Wortley In Bramley 15 12.70x
Bishopwearmouth 14 3.64x
Bromley London 14 4.23x
Stapleton In Pontefract 14 2258.06x
Ardwick 13 8.07x
Pollards Land 13 411.39x
Castleford 12 22.09x
Dalton In Huddersfield 12 35.92x
Holbeck 12 12.14x
Leeds 12 1.42x
Lockwood 12 22.36x
Meltham 12 51.72x
Shitlington 12 77.77x
Barwick In Elmet 11 96.24x
Heckmondwike 11 22.93x
Portsea 11 1.82x
Tillicoultry 11 39.78x
Turton 11 37.62x
West Auckland 11 67.20x
Barrow In Furness 10 4.12x
Burton Cum Walden 10 436.68x
Coundon 10 55.10x
Foleshill 10 25.04x
Hampstead London 10 4.27x
Headingley Cum Burley 10 10.42x
Marske Near Richmond 10 724.64x
Northampton All Sts 10 20.82x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 10 18.77x
Preston 10 121.36x
Sutton Coldfield 9 22.56x
Wisbech St Peter 9 18.82x
Gateshead 8 2.39x
Halifax 8 3.65x
Islington London 8 0.55x
Linthwaite 8 25.52x
Little Bolton 8 3.48x
Northowram 8 7.65x
Nottingham St Mary 8 1.52x
Trimdon 8 50.54x
Clerkenwell London 7 1.97x
Crumpsall 7 16.63x
Easington 7 107.69x
Everton 7 1.23x
Great Bolton 7 2.96x
Norwich St Augustine 7 75.03x
Southowram 7 15.37x
Wingate 7 22.80x
Worsbrough 7 16.02x
Austhorpe 6 372.67x
Brighton 6 1.17x
Brotton 6 30.82x
Carperby Cum Thoresby 6 387.10x
Dukinfield 6 3.91x
Escomb 6 29.15x
Ingleton 6 71.51x
Salford 6 1.14x
Speldhurst 6 22.94x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 6 8.66x
Templenewsam 6 55.56x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 87
Elizabeth 68
Sarah 56
Ann 44
Annie 36
Jane 35
Eliza 27
Emma 27
Martha 24
Hannah 23
Emily 22
Ellen 20
Alice 17
Margaret 16
Clara 12
Ada 10
Edith 10
Louisa 10
Harriet 9
Charlotte 8
Fanny 8
Agnes 7
Maria 7
Rebecca 6
Amy 5
Florence 5
Grace 5
Lily 5
Lucy 5
Matilda 5
Rose 5
Amelia 4
Caroline 4
Ethel 4
Frances 4
Isabella 4
Kate 4
Minnie 4
Rachel 4
Sophia 4
Anne 3
Beatrice 3
Eleanor 3
Nancy 3
Ruth 3
Susannah 3
Annis 2
Constance 2
M.A. 2
Margt. 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 91
William 75
George 57
James 39
Joseph 39
Thomas 37
Henry 22
Charles 20
Walter 16
Arthur 14
Richard 14
Edward 13
Harry 13
Robert 13
Frederick 12
Albert 11
Alfred 10
Benjamin 9
Alexander 8
Fred 8
Herbert 8
Sam 8
Samuel 7
Thos. 7
David 6
Frank 6
Wm. 6
Michael 5
Chas. 4
Ernest 4
Joe 4
Jonathan 4
Nicholas 4
Tom 4
Willie 4
Wilson 4
Amos 3
Edgar 3
Edmund 3
Francis 3
Squire 3
Abraham 2
Abram 2
Fred. 2
Leonard 2
Luke 2
Mark 2
Marmaduke 2
Percy 2
Simon 2

FAQ

Kilburn surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kilburn surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,542 people were recorded with the Kilburn surname. That placed it at #2,724 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kilburn surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,454 in 2016. That gives Kilburn a modern rank of #4,230.

What does the Kilburn surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from Kilburn, England, meaning "stream by a church" in Old English.

What does the Kilburn map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Kilburn 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.