NameCensus.

UK surname

Kilgour

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a church or chapel.

In the 1881 census there were 1,115 people recorded with the Kilgour surname, ranking it #3,577 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,315, ranked #4,564, down from #3,577 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Falkland, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Buckhaven, Denbeath and Muiredge, Harthill and Salsburgh and Wyre Forest.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kilgour is 1,418 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 17.9%.

1881 census count

1,115

Ranked #3,577

Modern count

1,315

2016, ranked #4,564

Peak year

1901

1,418 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kilgour had 1,115 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,577 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,315 in 2016, ranked #4,564.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,418 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Kilgour surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kilgour surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kilgour 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 883 #3,098
1861 historical 923 #3,005
1881 historical 1,115 #3,577
1891 historical 1,251 #3,453
1901 historical 1,418 #3,571
1911 historical 453 #8,460
1997 modern 1,235 #4,600
1998 modern 1,298 #4,571
1999 modern 1,311 #4,567
2000 modern 1,306 #4,555
2001 modern 1,276 #4,558
2002 modern 1,278 #4,647
2003 modern 1,272 #4,568
2004 modern 1,257 #4,621
2005 modern 1,262 #4,552
2006 modern 1,247 #4,622
2007 modern 1,235 #4,708
2008 modern 1,243 #4,704
2009 modern 1,259 #4,752
2010 modern 1,280 #4,765
2011 modern 1,266 #4,767
2012 modern 1,243 #4,769
2013 modern 1,283 #4,712
2014 modern 1,300 #4,676
2015 modern 1,298 #4,642
2016 modern 1,315 #4,564

Geography

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Where Kilgours are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Falkland, Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Buckhaven, Denbeath and Muiredge, Harthill and Salsburgh, Wyre Forest, Telford and Wrekin and Newmains. 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 Falkland Fife
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Buckhaven, Denbeath and Muiredge Fife
2 Harthill and Salsburgh North Lanarkshire
3 Wyre Forest 013 Wyre Forest
4 Telford and Wrekin 017 Telford and Wrekin
5 Newmains North Lanarkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kilgour

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kilgour

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Kilgour, 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 Kilgour surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Kilgour 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, Kilgour 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

Kilgour 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

Kilgour falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Kilgour

The surname Kilgour finds its origins in Scotland, emerging in the 13th century. It is derived from the Scottish Gaelic words "cill" meaning church and "gobhar" meaning goat, suggesting a connection to a location near a church associated with goats. The name was first concentrated in the regions of Perthshire and Kincardineshire.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1264, where a person named William Kylgour is mentioned. The Ragman Rolls of 1296, a historical document recording those who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England, also includes the name Kylgour.

In the 15th century, the name is found in various spellings such as Kylgour, Kilgour, and Kilgore in records from Aberdeenshire. A notable bearer of the name during this period was John Kilgour, who served as a baillie (a municipal officer) in Aberdeen in the late 1400s.

The Kilgour family held lands in various parts of Scotland, including the estate of Balnacraig in Aberdeenshire, which was owned by a branch of the family for several generations. Sir Robert Kilgour, born in 1619, was a prominent figure who served as a member of the Scottish Parliament and was granted a baronetcy in 1661.

In the 18th century, James Kilgour (1708-1787), a successful merchant and landowner, played a significant role in the development of Aberdeen. He served as the Lord Provost (chief magistrate) of the city from 1759 to 1761.

Another notable bearer of the name was John Kilgour (1835-1922), a Scottish artist known for his landscape paintings. He was born in Perthshire and studied at the Trustees' Academy in Edinburgh.

The Kilgour name has also been associated with various places in Scotland, such as Kilgour Castle in Fife, and the village of Kilgour in Aberdeenshire, which was likely named after the family.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kilgour families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kilgour 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. Fife leads with 277 Kilgours recorded in 1881 and an index of 43.53x.

County Total Index
Fife 277 43.53x
Aberdeenshire 131 13.16x
Lanarkshire 97 2.79x
Midlothian 91 6.32x
Lancashire 74 0.58x
Angus 73 7.33x
Perthshire 43 8.91x
Northumberland 41 2.56x
Middlesex 36 0.33x
Ayrshire 34 4.23x
Renfrewshire 23 2.76x
Cumberland 21 2.27x
Kinross-shire 20 73.61x
Durham 16 0.50x
Clackmannanshire 11 12.39x
Peeblesshire 11 21.76x
Stirlingshire 10 2.52x
Surrey 10 0.19x
Argyllshire 9 3.01x
Yorkshire 8 0.08x
Dunbartonshire 7 2.42x
Gloucestershire 7 0.33x
Kent 7 0.19x
Westmorland 7 2.96x
Banffshire 5 2.24x
Cheshire 5 0.21x
East Lothian 4 2.81x
Morayshire 4 2.39x
Devon 3 0.13x
Essex 3 0.14x
Sussex 3 0.17x
Dumfriesshire 2 0.84x
Kirkcudbrightshire 2 1.29x
Somerset 2 0.12x
Flintshire 1 0.35x
Hampshire 1 0.05x
Kincardineshire 1 0.76x
Oxfordshire 1 0.15x
Roxburghshire 1 0.51x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dysart in Fife leads with 73 Kilgours recorded in 1881 and an index of 170.36x.

Place Total Index
Dysart 73 170.36x
Aberdeen Old Machar 53 25.50x
Govan 41 4.77x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 37 6.39x
Dundee 32 8.61x
Abbotshall 30 126.16x
Barony 25 2.84x
Liff Benvie 22 14.55x
Dunfermline 21 21.46x
Ellon 21 153.40x
Newburgh 19 235.15x
Salford 19 5.06x
Glasgow 18 2.92x
St Quivox 16 58.82x
Kinross 15 160.94x
Markinch 15 69.44x
South Leith 15 9.26x
Edinburgh Canongate 14 38.20x
Manchester 13 2.27x
Scoonie 13 94.34x
Burntisland 12 67.45x
Cowpen 11 29.87x
Egremont 11 49.84x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 10 5.37x
Cambusnethan 10 12.95x
Falkland 10 99.90x
Barrow In Furness 9 5.19x
Blairgowrie 9 47.17x
Bromley London 9 3.81x
Kilmarnock 9 9.40x
Longside 9 75.69x
Newtyle 9 267.06x
Paisley Middle Church 9 18.56x
Strathmiglo 9 118.27x
Hackney London 8 1.33x
Inverkeithing 8 83.42x
Kirkurd 8 769.23x
Matterdale 8 629.92x
Tynemouth 8 9.34x
Chelsea London 7 2.16x
Cheltenham 7 4.30x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 7 20.55x
Errol 7 78.30x
Ferry Port On Craig 7 66.86x
Kilmadock 7 63.12x
Kincardine 7 140.85x
Tillicoultry 7 35.44x
Anstruther Easter 6 130.72x
Auchterderran 6 37.50x
Beswick 6 18.39x
Corbridge 6 102.39x
Deptford St Paul 6 2.12x
East Greenock 6 7.63x
Meldrum 6 71.51x
Newhills 6 29.43x
North Seaton 6 89.42x
Old Deer 6 31.80x
Peterculter 6 85.47x
Ravenstonedale 6 182.37x
Stockton On Tees 6 3.89x
Abbey 5 3.93x
Birkenhead 5 2.64x
Ceres 5 65.36x
Cheetham 5 5.26x
Coupar Angus 5 53.08x
Dumbarton 5 12.43x
Huddersfield 5 3.22x
Kensington London 5 0.84x
Kilmore Kilbride 5 26.33x
Kinglassie 5 103.09x
Kintore 5 57.80x
Kirkcaldy 5 15.84x
Westgate 5 5.05x
Bermondsey 4 1.25x
Cupar 4 14.45x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 4 2.89x
Kettle 4 52.36x
Mauchline 4 43.24x
Tranent 4 20.79x
Wemyss 4 14.86x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 18
James 14
William 14
George 9
Peter 6
Robert 5
Alexander 3
Andrew 3
Arthur 3
David 3
Henry 3
Thomas 3
Alex.D. 2
Herbert 2
Joseph 2
Laurence 2
Patrick 2
Alexr. 1
Benjamin 1
Edward 1
Eustace 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Hugh 1
Jacob 1
Luke 1
Martin 1
Samuel 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Kilgour surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kilgour surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,115 people were recorded with the Kilgour surname. That placed it at #3,577 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kilgour surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,315 in 2016. That gives Kilgour a modern rank of #4,564.

What does the Kilgour surname mean?

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a church or chapel.

What does the Kilgour map show?

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