NameCensus.

UK surname

Killeen

Anglicized form of the Irish surname "Ó Cillín," meaning "descendant of Cillín," a personal name of uncertain origin.

In the 1881 census there were 303 people recorded with the Killeen surname, ranking it #9,654 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,303, ranked #4,597, up from #9,654 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Preston, County Durham and Doncaster.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Killeen is 1,363 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 330.0%.

1881 census count

303

Ranked #9,654

Modern count

1,303

2016, ranked #4,597

Peak year

2010

1,363 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Killeen had 303 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,654 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,303 in 2016, ranked #4,597.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 474 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Killeen surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Killeen surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Killeen 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 54 #23,577
1861 historical 108 #19,856
1881 historical 303 #9,654
1891 historical 294 #11,288
1901 historical 443 #8,804
1911 historical 474 #8,162
1997 modern 1,135 #4,940
1998 modern 1,188 #4,929
1999 modern 1,214 #4,879
2000 modern 1,215 #4,842
2001 modern 1,179 #4,879
2002 modern 1,211 #4,864
2003 modern 1,187 #4,855
2004 modern 1,218 #4,754
2005 modern 1,193 #4,781
2006 modern 1,211 #4,739
2007 modern 1,229 #4,729
2008 modern 1,263 #4,626
2009 modern 1,310 #4,573
2010 modern 1,363 #4,507
2011 modern 1,344 #4,511
2012 modern 1,299 #4,578
2013 modern 1,320 #4,592
2014 modern 1,323 #4,605
2015 modern 1,301 #4,628
2016 modern 1,303 #4,597

Geography

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Where Killeens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes, Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham Town: Aston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Preston, County Durham and Doncaster. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 London parishes London 3
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Birmingham Town: Aston Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Preston 009 Preston
2 Preston 014 Preston
3 County Durham 009 County Durham
4 Doncaster 036 Doncaster
5 County Durham 008 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Killeen

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Killeen

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Killeen surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Killeen household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Killeen 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

Killeen 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

Killeen 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 Killeen 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 Killeen, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Killeen

The surname Killeen is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic words "Coill" meaning "woods" and "Fionn" meaning "fair" or "white". It is believed to have originated in County Kilkenny, Ireland, in the early medieval period.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Killeen can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a historic chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. The text refers to a clan called "Ua Coilléin" (descendants of Coillén) who were based in the Ossory region of County Kilkenny.

The Killeen surname is also associated with several place names in Ireland, such as Killeen Castle in County Meath and the town of Killeen in County Laois. These place names reflect the Gaelic roots of the surname, referring to areas with notable forests or woodlands.

Some notable historical figures with the surname Killeen include:

1. Christopher Killeen (1670-1744), an Irish Catholic priest and philosopher who taught at the University of Louvain in the early 18th century.

2. Michael Killeen (1821-1898), an Irish-born settler in Australia who became a prominent businessman and landowner in Victoria.

3. Thomas Killeen (1860-1934), an Irish-American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1913 to 1923.

4. Patrick Killeen (1887-1961), an Irish revolutionary who participated in the Easter Rising of 1916 and later became a prominent figure in the Irish Republican Army (IRA).

5. Mary Killeen (1904-1978), an Irish writer and playwright who authored several works exploring themes of Irish identity and rural life.

While the Killeen surname has its roots in Ireland, it has since spread to other parts of the world through emigration, particularly to the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Killeen families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Killeen 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 139 Killeens recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.96x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 139 3.96x
Yorkshire 35 1.20x
Durham 31 3.53x
Kent 18 1.79x
Cheshire 17 2.61x
Surrey 15 1.04x
Warwickshire 11 1.48x
Middlesex 9 0.30x
Pembrokeshire 6 6.39x
Hampshire 5 0.83x
Northumberland 4 0.91x
Nottinghamshire 4 1.00x
Sussex 3 0.60x
Derbyshire 2 0.43x
Bedfordshire 1 0.65x
Devon 1 0.16x
Dorset 1 0.52x
Lincolnshire 1 0.21x

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 20 Killeens recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.39x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 20 9.39x
Chorlton On Medlock 13 23.34x
Manchester 12 7.61x
Plumstead 12 35.70x
St Giles 11 200.36x
Birmingham 9 3.62x
Great Bolton 9 19.38x
Royton 9 83.88x
Bishopwearmouth 8 10.60x
Salford 8 7.76x
Bowling 7 24.13x
Church 7 141.41x
Elvet 7 110.24x
Halifax 7 16.28x
Hulme 7 9.56x
Little Bolton 7 15.52x
Mile End Old Town London 7 11.13x
Ashton Under Lyne 6 7.83x
Chester St John Baptist 6 51.15x
Pembroke St Mary 6 49.59x
Richmond 6 29.73x
Rotherham 6 36.34x
Stockport 6 17.87x
Woking 6 69.12x
Barton Upon Irwell 5 18.94x
Everton 5 4.47x
Newport 5 151.98x
Oldham 5 4.42x
Pendleton In Salford 5 11.97x
Hexham 4 58.74x
Mansfield 4 29.01x
Newington 4 49.57x
Rainton Cum Newby 4 1000.00x
Wigan 4 8.16x
Camberwell 3 1.59x
Chatham 3 10.81x
Monkwearmouth Shore 3 17.48x
Spotland 3 7.69x
Birkenhead 2 3.85x
Crayford 2 45.45x
Edgbaston 2 8.65x
Heap 2 10.75x
Holy Trinity 2 2.84x
Kirkdale 2 3.39x
Leeds 2 1.21x
Lewes St John Southover 2 59.70x
Ormskirk 2 29.81x
Walton On Hill 2 10.53x
Bromley 1 6.51x
Cheadle 1 8.03x
Cheetham 1 3.82x
Chelsea London 1 1.12x
Chester St Oswald 1 8.47x
Derby St Alkmund 1 7.21x
Esh 1 15.63x
Glossop Dale 1 4.61x
Gomersal 1 7.32x
Great Crosby 1 10.46x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 1 2.63x
Kempston 1 28.82x
Kensington London 1 0.61x
Kirkby Cum Osgodby 1 263.16x
Lewes St Michael 1 101.01x
Lower Booths 1 15.92x
Melcombe Regis 1 12.44x
Middlewich 1 74.63x
Much Woolton 1 21.01x
Newchurch 1 3.49x
Ripon 1 14.73x
Shitlington 1 33.00x
Tormoham 1 3.84x
Toxteth Park 1 0.84x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 28
Ellen 17
Bridget 11
Sarah 10
Ann 8
Margaret 8
Elizabeth 6
Kate 5
Alice 4
Catherine 4
Emma 4
Agnes 3
Anne 3
Annie 3
Harriett 3
Jane 3
Eliza 2
Florence 2
Julia 2
Amelia 1
Belinda 1
Caroline 1
Catharine 1
Catherne 1
Elizth. 1
Emily 1
Ethel 1
Eugenie 1
Frances 1
Gertrude 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Honour 1
Lavinia 1
Letticia 1
Margeret 1
Maria 1
Maude 1
Millicent 1
Pheaba 1
Rosana 1
Thurza 1
Winefred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 31
Thomas 17
James 16
Michael 15
William 13
Martin 7
Patrick 7
Edward 5
George 5
Hugh 4
Richard 3
Arthur 2
Harry 2
Abel 1
Agustus 1
Albert 1
Alexis 1
Andrew 1
Anthony 1
Charles 1
Christopher 1
Cornelius 1
D. 1
Daniel 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Henry 1
Jas. 1
Jeremiah 1
Joseph 1
Nicholas 1
Ralph 1
Thos. 1
Timothy 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Killeen surname: questions and answers

How common was the Killeen surname in 1881?

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

How common is the Killeen surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,303 in 2016. That gives Killeen a modern rank of #4,597.

What does the Killeen surname mean?

Anglicized form of the Irish surname "Ó Cillín," meaning "descendant of Cillín," a personal name of uncertain origin.

What does the Killeen map show?

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