NameCensus.

UK surname

Kilday

An anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Cillideadha, meaning "descendent of Cillideadh" (a personal name).

In the 1881 census there were 211 people recorded with the Kilday surname, ranking it #12,407 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 544, ranked #9,364, up from #12,407 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Campsie, Stockport and Kirkwall and St.Ola. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cumnock North, Lochwinnoch and North Barlanark and Easterhouse South.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kilday is 545 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 157.8%.

1881 census count

211

Ranked #12,407

Modern count

544

2016, ranked #9,364

Peak year

2015

545 bearers

Map years

7

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kilday had 211 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,407 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 544 in 2016, ranked #9,364.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 262 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Kilday surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kilday surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kilday 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 92 #18,050
1861 historical 128 #17,375
1881 historical 211 #12,407
1891 historical 226 #13,668
1901 historical 262 #12,740
1911 historical 48 #28,006
1997 modern 438 #10,282
1998 modern 452 #10,384
1999 modern 469 #10,139
2000 modern 474 #10,029
2001 modern 460 #10,063
2002 modern 478 #9,963
2003 modern 464 #10,003
2004 modern 469 #9,983
2005 modern 461 #10,022
2006 modern 471 #9,907
2007 modern 477 #9,907
2008 modern 490 #9,794
2009 modern 518 #9,588
2010 modern 525 #9,692
2011 modern 520 #9,681
2012 modern 523 #9,555
2013 modern 515 #9,804
2014 modern 539 #9,542
2015 modern 545 #9,387
2016 modern 544 #9,364

Geography

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Where Kildays are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Campsie, Stockport, Kirkwall and St.Ola, Arbroath and St. Vigeans and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cumnock North, Lochwinnoch, North Barlanark and Easterhouse South, Paisley Gallowhill and Hillington and Cumnock South and Craigens. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Campsie Stirling
2 Stockport Cheshire
3 Kirkwall and St.Ola Orkney
4 Arbroath and St. Vigeans Forfar
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cumnock North East Ayrshire
2 Lochwinnoch Renfrewshire
3 North Barlanark and Easterhouse South Glasgow City
4 Paisley Gallowhill and Hillington Renfrewshire
5 Cumnock South and Craigens East Ayrshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kilday

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kilday

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Kilday, 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 Kilday surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Kilday 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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Kilday 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

Kilday is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Kilday 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 Kilday is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Kilday

The surname Kilday originated in Ireland and has its roots in the Gaelic language. It is believed to have derived from the Irish words "Cill" meaning church, and "daith" meaning color or hue, potentially referring to someone who lived near a church of a particular color or shade.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name dates back to the 16th century, when a Thomas Kilday was mentioned in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the early 17th century.

The Kilday name can also be traced back to County Sligo in the northwestern region of Ireland, where it was concentrated in the area around Ballymote and its surrounding parishes.

In the 17th century, a notable figure named James Kilday (1640-1715) was a prominent merchant and landowner in County Sligo. He played a significant role in the economic and social life of the region during that time.

Another historical figure with the Kilday surname was John Kilday (1714-1789), a Irish-born merchant and ship owner who settled in the American colonies. He established a successful trading business in Philadelphia and was a prominent member of the city's Irish community.

During the 19th century, the Kilday name gained recognition through the works of Irish poet and playwright Samuel Kilday (1822-1891). His poems and plays often depicted the lives and struggles of the Irish working class, earning him a reputation as a voice for the common people.

In the field of education, Mary Kilday (1856-1934) was a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights in Ireland. She founded several schools and played a crucial role in promoting education for girls in her home country.

Another notable figure was Patrick Kilday (1876-1952), a Irish-American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Texas in the early 20th century.

While the Kilday name has its roots in Ireland, it has since spread to various parts of the world, with individuals bearing this surname making significant contributions in various fields throughout history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kilday families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kilday 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. Lanarkshire leads with 52 Kildays recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.85x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 52 7.85x
Ayrshire 31 20.22x
Stirlingshire 20 26.47x
Renfrewshire 17 10.71x
Lancashire 15 0.62x
Cheshire 13 2.87x
Midlothian 13 4.74x
East Lothian 11 40.55x
Angus 8 4.22x
Northumberland 8 2.62x
Fife 6 4.95x
Yorkshire 4 0.20x
Berwickshire 2 8.06x
Dunbartonshire 2 3.63x
Middlesex 2 0.10x
Argyllshire 1 1.75x
Hampshire 1 0.24x
Perthshire 1 1.09x
Royal Navy 1 4.10x
Suffolk 1 0.40x
West Lothian 1 3.24x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 26 Kildays recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.51x.

Place Total Index
Barony 26 15.51x
Auckinleck 16 336.84x
Campsie 15 361.45x
West Greenock 14 49.14x
Stockport 13 55.87x
Dalry 11 152.57x
Elswick 8 32.88x
Shotts 8 100.88x
St Vigeans 8 78.13x
Whittinghame 8 1777.78x
Bothwell 6 33.39x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 6 5.43x
Kinghorn 6 233.46x
Glasgow 5 4.25x
Govan 4 2.44x
Kilsyth 4 82.99x
Manchester 4 3.66x
Dirleton 3 280.37x
Everton 3 3.87x
Kilbirnie 3 81.52x
Barrow In Furness 2 6.05x
Coldingham 2 89.69x
Edinburgh Greenside 2 55.10x
Edinburgh Old Church 2 90.91x
Edinburgh Tron Church 2 155.04x
Great Bolton 2 6.21x
Kirkintilloch 2 26.74x
Lesmahagow 2 28.53x
Oswaldtwistle 2 23.28x
Paisley High Church 2 15.82x
Saddleworth 2 12.77x
St Marylebone London 2 1.83x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 1 21.37x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 2.59x
Colinton 1 32.68x
Dunoon Kilmun 1 22.47x
Ecclesfield 1 6.72x
Falkirk 1 5.65x
Farnborough 1 22.68x
Horton In Bradford 1 3.15x
Irvine 1 23.47x
Kilbarchan 1 20.75x
Maryhill 1 7.71x
Oldham 1 1.27x
Perth East Church 1 11.53x
Royal Navy 1 4.79x
Uphall 1 29.50x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 7
Catherine 5
Annie 2
Bridget 2
Ann 1
Cather. 1
Elizabeth 1
Ellen 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 5
John 4
Michael 4
James 3
Patrick 3
Daniel 1
Edwd. 1
Terence 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Kilday households.

FAQ

Kilday surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kilday surname in 1881?

In 1881, 211 people were recorded with the Kilday surname. That placed it at #12,407 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kilday surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 544 in 2016. That gives Kilday a modern rank of #9,364.

What does the Kilday surname mean?

An anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Cillideadha, meaning "descendent of Cillideadh" (a personal name).

What does the Kilday map show?

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