NameCensus.

UK surname

Killip

A surname of Scottish origin perhaps derived from a place name or occupation.

In the 1881 census there were 120 people recorded with the Killip surname, ranking it #17,756 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 223, ranked #18,222, down from #17,756 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Toxteth Park, Manchester and Liverpool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barrow-in-Furness, Dover and Copeland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Killip is 233 in 1997. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 85.8%.

1881 census count

120

Ranked #17,756

Modern count

223

2016, ranked #18,222

Peak year

1997

233 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Killip had 120 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,756 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 223 in 2016, ranked #18,222.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 192 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Killip surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Killip surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Killip 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 74 #20,443
1861 historical 91 #22,206
1881 historical 120 #17,756
1891 historical 147 #18,592
1901 historical 168 #16,886
1911 historical 192 #15,342
1997 modern 233 #15,975
1998 modern 230 #16,607
1999 modern 219 #17,203
2000 modern 219 #17,195
2001 modern 213 #17,267
2002 modern 217 #17,388
2003 modern 220 #17,033
2004 modern 214 #17,435
2005 modern 226 #16,782
2006 modern 217 #17,349
2007 modern 224 #17,193
2008 modern 222 #17,442
2009 modern 229 #17,431
2010 modern 231 #17,711
2011 modern 224 #17,891
2012 modern 217 #18,184
2013 modern 220 #18,324
2014 modern 219 #18,523
2015 modern 221 #18,289
2016 modern 223 #18,222

Geography

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Where Killips are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Toxteth Park, Manchester, Liverpool, Dalton-in-Furness and West Derby. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Barrow-in-Furness, Dover and Copeland. 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 Toxteth Park Lancashire
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Liverpool Lancashire
4 Dalton-in-Furness Lancashire
5 West Derby Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barrow-in-Furness 008 Barrow-in-Furness
2 Dover 005 Dover
3 Barrow-in-Furness 007 Barrow-in-Furness
4 Barrow-in-Furness 009 Barrow-in-Furness
5 Copeland 007 Copeland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Killip

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Killip

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Killip, 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 Killip surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Killip 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Killip 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

Killip 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

Killip falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Killip is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Killip

The surname Killip is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the northern counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "cillippe," which means a deep ravine or steep-sided valley. The earliest known spelling of the name was "Killip," found in records dating back to the 12th century.

The name Killip is not mentioned in the Domesday Book, the great survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. However, it is recorded in various medieval documents and records from the 13th century onwards, particularly in the Yorkshire and Lancashire regions.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is that of Roger Killip, who was mentioned in the Yorkshire Assize Rolls of 1285. Another notable example is John Killip, a landowner from Lancashire, whose name appears in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1332.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name Killip was often associated with certain place names in the north of England, such as Kilnhow and Kilnwick, which may have contributed to the surname's evolution and spelling variations.

Among the notable individuals who bore the surname Killip throughout history are:

1. Robert Killip (1563-1632), a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of York. 2. Elizabeth Killip (1677-1745), a renowned herbalist and healer from Lancashire. 3. John Killip (1702-1771), a renowned clockmaker from Yorkshire, known for his intricate timepieces. 4. William Killip (1814-1891), a pioneering engineer and inventor from Lancashire, who patented several innovative designs for textile machinery. 5. Mary Killip (1856-1932), a prominent suffragette and advocate for women's rights, born in Yorkshire.

While the surname Killip may have evolved over time and acquired different spellings in different regions, its origins can be traced back to the northern counties of England, where it was closely associated with geographical features and place names derived from Old English.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Killip families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Killip 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. Isle of Man leads with 221 Killips recorded in 1881 and an index of 357.78x.

County Total Index
Isle of Man 221 357.78x
Lancashire 76 1.93x
Cheshire 10 1.36x
Cumberland 10 3.49x
Middlesex 8 0.24x
Warwickshire 6 0.72x
Somerset 5 0.93x
Yorkshire 3 0.09x
Hertfordshire 1 0.44x
Lanarkshire 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lonan in Isle of Man leads with 50 Killips recorded in 1881 and an index of 1336.90x.

Place Total Index
Lonan 50 1336.90x
Lezayre 37 1335.74x
Onchan 30 168.63x
Maughold 25 524.11x
Toxteth Park 19 14.22x
Ballaugh 15 1363.64x
Andreas 12 718.56x
German 12 356.08x
Jurby 11 1466.67x
Walton On Hill 11 51.45x
Liverpool 9 3.75x
Malew 9 166.67x
West Derby 9 7.79x
Birkenhead 8 13.67x
Sandwith 7 1666.67x
Stretford 7 32.23x
Islington London 6 1.86x
Barrow In Furness 5 9.31x
Braddan 5 148.37x
Chorlton On Medlock 5 7.97x
Douglas 5 561.80x
Foleshill 5 56.63x
Michael 5 396.83x
Huish Episcopi 4 526.32x
Salford 4 3.45x
Millom 3 34.17x
Patrick 3 99.67x
Rotherham 3 16.15x
Hulme 2 2.43x
St Pancras London 2 0.75x
Aston 1 0.43x
Barony 1 0.37x
Blackburn 1 0.95x
Brickendon 1 94.34x
Burnage 1 103.09x
Kirkdale 1 1.51x
Lower Bebington 1 22.94x
Oxton 1 24.10x
Ramsey 1 2000.00x
Reddish 1 18.38x
Rushen 1 23.92x
South Petherton 1 36.23x
Withington 1 7.87x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 23
Ann 19
Mary 14
Catherine 10
Margaret 10
Annie 7
Jane 7
Alice 5
Eliza 5
Margt. 5
Sarah 5
Eleanor 4
Ellen 3
Emily 3
Emma 3
Isabella 3
Margret 3
Sophia 3
Agnes 2
Anne 2
Clara 2
Hannah 2
Jemima 2
Louisa 2
Cath. 1
Cathrin 1
Cathrine 1
Charlotte 1
Christian 1
Christiana 1
Elen 1
Elenor 1
Elezebeth 1
Eliz. 1
Elizabett 1
Ellenor 1
Esther 1
Eunice 1
Florance 1
Florence 1
Gertrude 1
Harriet 1
Hephzibah 1
Isabela 1
Isabell 1
Jennette 1
Jessie 1
Katherine 1
Lenora 1
Lizzie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 39
William 28
Thomas 19
James 12
Robert 11
Edward 8
Caesar 3
George 3
Alfred 2
Charles 2
Harry 2
Lewis 2
Richard 2
Wm. 2
Albert 1
Andrew 1
Arthur 1
Daniel 1
Earnest 1
Ellen 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Georg. 1
Henry 1
Jas. 1
Jos. 1
Joseph 1
Lairence 1
Matthias 1
Nicholas 1
Robt. 1
Samuel 1

FAQ

Killip surname: questions and answers

How common was the Killip surname in 1881?

In 1881, 120 people were recorded with the Killip surname. That placed it at #17,756 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Killip surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 223 in 2016. That gives Killip a modern rank of #18,222.

What does the Killip surname mean?

A surname of Scottish origin perhaps derived from a place name or occupation.

What does the Killip map show?

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