NameCensus.

UK surname

Kilty

A surname derived from a Scottish word meaning short kilted skirt.

In the 1881 census there were 125 people recorded with the Kilty surname, ranking it #17,335 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 301, ranked #14,696, up from #17,335 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rutherglen, Gateshead and Toxteth Park. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Sunderland and Manchester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kilty is 313 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 140.8%.

1881 census count

125

Ranked #17,335

Modern count

301

2016, ranked #14,696

Peak year

2013

313 bearers

Map years

5

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kilty had 125 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,335 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 301 in 2016, ranked #14,696.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 125 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Kilty surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kilty surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Kilty 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 42 #25,706
1861 historical 43 #28,562
1881 historical 125 #17,335
1891 historical 114 #22,006
1901 historical 96 #23,342
1911 historical 86 #24,243
1997 modern 275 #14,335
1998 modern 276 #14,679
1999 modern 282 #14,545
2000 modern 286 #14,385
2001 modern 275 #14,540
2002 modern 293 #14,203
2003 modern 287 #14,219
2004 modern 284 #14,377
2005 modern 294 #14,006
2006 modern 286 #14,322
2007 modern 280 #14,694
2008 modern 279 #14,860
2009 modern 296 #14,557
2010 modern 309 #14,420
2011 modern 303 #14,506
2012 modern 307 #14,288
2013 modern 313 #14,299
2014 modern 309 #14,533
2015 modern 299 #14,796
2016 modern 301 #14,696

Geography

Back to top

Where Kiltys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rutherglen, Gateshead, Toxteth Park, Stoneykirk and Carshalton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Sunderland, Manchester and Riddrie and Hogganfield. 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 Rutherglen Lanark
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Toxteth Park Lancashire
4 Stoneykirk Wigtown
5 Carshalton Surrey

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 014 County Durham
2 Sunderland 016 Sunderland
3 Sunderland 013 Sunderland
4 Manchester 043 Manchester
5 Riddrie and Hogganfield Glasgow City

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Kilty

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Kilty

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Kilty, 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 Kilty surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Kilty 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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Kilty 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

Kilty 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

Kilty 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 Kilty 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Kilty

The surname Kilty has its origins in Scotland, dating back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Scottish Gaelic word "cillidh," which means "a small chapel or cell." This suggests that the name may have been originally associated with someone who lived near a small chapel or religious establishment.

In the early records, the name appeared with various spellings, such as Kiltie, Kiltye, and Kiltee, reflecting the phonetic variations common in those times. One of the earliest documented instances of the name can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1539, where a person named John Kiltye is mentioned.

The name Kilty has been linked to several historical figures throughout the centuries. One notable bearer was Sir William Kilty (1722-1805), a Scottish-born lawyer and jurist who served as the Chief Justice of the District Court of Maryland from 1790 to 1805. He played a significant role in the early legal system of the United States.

Another prominent individual with the surname Kilty was John Kilty (1758-1819), an American lawyer and judge who served as the Chief Justice of the District Court of the District of Columbia from 1801 to 1819. He was also a member of the Maryland House of Delegates and played a crucial role in the legal affairs of the newly formed United States.

In the 18th century, the name Kilty was associated with the Kilty family, who were prominent landowners in the Scottish Highlands. One member of this family, Alexander Kilty (1720-1789), was a notable figure in the Jacobite Risings, supporting the cause of restoring the Stuart monarchy to the British throne.

The name Kilty has also been linked to several place names in Scotland, such as Kilty Glen and Kilty Burn, both located in the Scottish Highlands. These place names likely derived from the same Gaelic root as the surname, reflecting the connection between the name and the landscape.

Another noteworthy bearer of the surname was John Kilty (1735-1813), an Irish-born American soldier and statesman who served as a delegate to the Continental Congress during the American Revolutionary War. He played a significant role in the drafting of the Articles of Confederation and was a respected figure in the early years of the United States.

While the surname Kilty is relatively uncommon, it has a rich history and has been associated with notable individuals in various fields, particularly law and politics, throughout the centuries. Its origins can be traced back to Scotland, where it initially emerged as a name associated with religious establishments and later became connected to prominent families and landowners in the Highlands.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Kilty families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kilty 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. Durham leads with 27 Kiltys recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.38x.

County Total Index
Durham 27 7.38x
Lanarkshire 15 3.77x
Lancashire 15 1.03x
Wigtownshire 12 73.53x
Kent 10 2.38x
Warwickshire 9 2.90x
Cheshire 6 2.21x
Surrey 6 1.00x
Dumfriesshire 5 18.42x
Midlothian 5 3.04x
Kirkcudbrightshire 4 22.48x
Glamorgan 3 1.40x
Devon 2 0.78x
Renfrewshire 2 2.10x
Essex 1 0.41x
Middlesex 1 0.08x
Northumberland 1 0.55x
Royal Navy 1 6.83x
Yorkshire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Rutherglen in Lanarkshire leads with 12 Kiltys recorded in 1881 and an index of 205.83x.

Place Total Index
Rutherglen 12 205.83x
Milton In Gravesend 10 158.98x
Aston 9 10.54x
Gateshead 9 32.87x
Leswalt 8 714.29x
Broughton In Salford 7 52.51x
Tanfield 7 160.92x
Toxteth Park 7 14.18x
Bishop Auckland 5 101.83x
Dumfries 5 186.57x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 5 7.55x
Birkenhead 4 18.49x
Kirkmabreck 4 512.82x
Battersea 3 6.63x
Cardiff St Mary 3 25.45x
Darlington 3 21.25x
East Stonehouse 2 39.68x
Glasgow 2 2.83x
Glasserton 2 392.16x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 2 12.63x
Kirkcowan 2 363.64x
Liscard 2 40.90x
Port Glasgow 2 43.48x
Carshalton 1 43.67x
Croydon 1 3.01x
Govan 1 1.02x
Hackney London 1 1.45x
Holmside 1 111.11x
Ingrave 1 454.55x
Jesmond 1 38.91x
Linthorpe 1 13.76x
Rotherhithe 1 6.58x
Royal Navy 1 7.99x
Salford 1 2.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Annie 3
Ellen 3
Ann 2
Bridget 2
Catherine 2
Elizabeth 2
Louisa 2
Rose 2
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Bertha 1
Elizebeth 1
Emily 1
Florence 1
Hellen 1
Jane 1
Johannah 1
Julia 1
Margaret 1
Margerat 1
Margret 1
Martha 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 10
Patrick 6
James 5
Daniel 3
Edward 3
Charles 2
Michael 2
Barnerd 1
David 1
Denis 1
Geo. 1
Hugh 1
Mark 1
Martin 1
Micheal 1
Peter 1
Richard 1
Thos. 1
William 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Kilty surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kilty surname in 1881?

In 1881, 125 people were recorded with the Kilty surname. That placed it at #17,335 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kilty surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 301 in 2016. That gives Kilty a modern rank of #14,696.

What does the Kilty surname mean?

A surname derived from a Scottish word meaning short kilted skirt.

What does the Kilty map show?

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