NameCensus.

UK surname

Kilcoyne

A surname derived from the Gaelic phrase Cill Chomhghain, translating as "church of Comhghan" or "Comhghan's church".

In the 1881 census there were 188 people recorded with the Kilcoyne surname, ranking it #13,379 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 555, ranked #9,223, up from #13,379 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Edgmond (Edgmond), Chetwynd, Cheswardine, Hinstock, Edinburgh and Wakefield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kirriemuir, Coventry and Cherwell.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kilcoyne is 560 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 195.2%.

1881 census count

188

Ranked #13,379

Modern count

555

2016, ranked #9,223

Peak year

2013

560 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kilcoyne had 188 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,379 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 555 in 2016, ranked #9,223.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 207 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Kilcoyne surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kilcoyne surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kilcoyne 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 40 #26,118
1861 historical 69 #25,057
1881 historical 188 #13,379
1891 historical 192 #15,383
1901 historical 207 #14,803
1911 historical 170 #16,510
1997 modern 490 #9,435
1998 modern 542 #9,028
1999 modern 529 #9,245
2000 modern 519 #9,352
2001 modern 509 #9,323
2002 modern 502 #9,601
2003 modern 503 #9,446
2004 modern 505 #9,453
2005 modern 502 #9,419
2006 modern 485 #9,691
2007 modern 501 #9,552
2008 modern 514 #9,445
2009 modern 531 #9,417
2010 modern 547 #9,399
2011 modern 540 #9,420
2012 modern 539 #9,328
2013 modern 560 #9,196
2014 modern 549 #9,410
2015 modern 549 #9,324
2016 modern 555 #9,223

Geography

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Where Kilcoynes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Edgmond (Edgmond), Chetwynd, Cheswardine, Hinstock, Edinburgh, Wakefield, Oldswinford and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kirriemuir, Coventry, Cherwell and Brent. 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 Edgmond (Edgmond), Chetwynd, Cheswardine, Hinstock Shropshire
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Wakefield Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Oldswinford Worcestershire
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kirriemuir Angus
2 Coventry 029 Coventry
3 Cherwell 019 Cherwell
4 Brent 028 Brent
5 Brent 011 Brent

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kilcoyne

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kilcoyne

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Kilcoyne is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Kilcoyne is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Kilcoyne falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Kilcoyne 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 Kilcoyne, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Kilcoyne

The surname Kilcoyne originated in Ireland, likely emerging in the late 12th or early 13th century during the Norman invasion and settlement of the island. It is an anglicized version of the Irish Gaelic name Ó Cillchon, which means "descendant of Cillchon." Cillchon was a personal name derived from the words "cill," meaning church, and "con," meaning wisdom or reason.

The earliest recorded instances of the name appear in medieval Irish annals and manuscripts, such as the Annals of the Four Masters, which mention individuals with the name Ó Cillchon. The name was most prevalent in the counties of Galway and Mayo in the western province of Connacht.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Tadhg Ó Cillchon, a prominent priest and scholar who lived in the 14th century. He was noted for his expertise in canon law and served as the Vicar-General of the Diocese of Tuam.

In the 16th century, during the Tudor conquest of Ireland, the name appears in the Composition Book of Connacht, a survey of landholders in the province. Several individuals with the surname Kilcoyne are listed as owning property in the baronies of Moycullen and Ballynahinch in County Galway.

The name Kilcoyne has also been associated with several notable figures throughout history. In the 17th century, Donough Kilcoyne was a prominent lawyer and judge who served as the Chief Justice of the Irish Common Pleas from 1665 to 1685.

In the 19th century, Michael Kilcoyne (1807-1882) was an Irish politician and Member of Parliament for the constituency of Galway Borough from 1857 to 1868. He was a vocal advocate for tenant rights and land reform in Ireland.

Another notable bearer of the name was James Kilcoyne (1870-1939), a Canadian politician and lawyer who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1915 to 1922 and as the province's Attorney General from 1921 to 1922.

Francis Kilcoyne (1889-1957) was an Irish writer and journalist who worked for several newspapers, including the Irish Press and the Irish Independent. He published several books, including a biography of Daniel O'Connell, the famous Irish political leader.

The name Kilcoyne has also been associated with several notable figures in the field of sports. Patrick Kilcoyne (1935-2018) was an Irish hurler who played for the Galway senior hurling team and won the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship in 1958.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kilcoyne families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kilcoyne 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. Lancashire leads with 69 Kilcoynes recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.17x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 69 3.17x
Yorkshire 38 2.09x
Midlothian 22 8.96x
Middlesex 16 0.87x
Warwickshire 9 1.95x
Cheshire 5 1.24x
Lanarkshire 5 0.84x
Northumberland 5 1.83x
Perthshire 5 6.08x
Leicestershire 4 1.97x
Durham 3 0.55x
Dunbartonshire 2 4.06x
Worcestershire 2 0.84x
Ayrshire 1 0.73x
Hampshire 1 0.27x
Staffordshire 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 23 Kilcoynes recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.40x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 23 17.40x
Wakefield 22 157.71x
Birmingham 9 5.84x
Edinburgh Canongate 9 144.00x
Newton In Makerfield 9 135.14x
Edinburgh Old Church 8 406.09x
Great Bolton 8 27.76x
St Luke London 8 27.20x
Oldham 7 9.97x
Bowling 6 33.33x
Edinburgh St Georges 5 98.04x
Glasgow 5 4.75x
North Shields 5 91.91x
Perth Middle Church 5 161.29x
St Pancras London 5 3.39x
Stockport 5 24.00x
Wardleworth 5 40.23x
Keighley 4 20.65x
Leicester St Margaret 4 8.07x
Burnley 3 16.38x
Ecclesall Bierlow 3 8.12x
Reedley Hallows 3 714.29x
Tudhoe 3 62.89x
Dumbarton 2 29.15x
Everton 2 2.88x
Kidderminster Borough 2 14.27x
St Clement Danes London 2 52.63x
Walton On Hill 2 16.96x
Ayr 1 15.43x
Blackburn 1 1.73x
Bradford 1 9.81x
Bradford 1 2.27x
Bury 1 4.02x
Castleton 1 4.60x
Clifton In York 1 26.32x
Farnborough 1 25.32x
Greasbrough 1 41.67x
Much Woolton 1 33.90x
Westminster St James 1 5.31x
Wolverhampton 1 2.10x
Woolston With 1 312.50x
Wuerdle Wardle 1 15.13x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 27
Ann 8
Ellen 6
Margaret 6
Bridget 5
Catherine 5
Elizabeth 3
Kate 3
Annie 2
Sarah 2
Agness 1
Bridgett 1
Catherina 1
E. 1
Emily 1
Katherine 1
Maria 1
Norah 1
Susan 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 18
Thomas 13
James 10
Patrick 6
Anthony 5
Edward 5
Michael 4
Daniel 2
Martin 2
Antoy 1
Arthur 1
Bartholomew 1
Francis 1
Herbert 1
Lawrence 1
Luke 1
Micheal 1
Owen 1
Simon 1

FAQ

Kilcoyne surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kilcoyne surname in 1881?

In 1881, 188 people were recorded with the Kilcoyne surname. That placed it at #13,379 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kilcoyne surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 555 in 2016. That gives Kilcoyne a modern rank of #9,223.

What does the Kilcoyne surname mean?

A surname derived from the Gaelic phrase Cill Chomhghain, translating as "church of Comhghan" or "Comhghan's church".

What does the Kilcoyne map show?

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