NameCensus.

UK surname

Kirk

A Scottish surname derived from the Old Norse word "kirkja," meaning "church," likely referring to someone who lived near a church.

In the 1881 census there were 12,991 people recorded with the Kirk surname, ranking it #317 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 18,963, ranked #318, down from #317 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, London parishes and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Castle Douglas, East Riding of Yorkshire and Sheffield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kirk is 19,322 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 46.0%.

1881 census count

12,991

Ranked #317

Modern count

18,963

2016, ranked #318

Peak year

2010

19,322 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kirk had 12,991 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #317 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 18,963 in 2016, ranked #318.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 15,995 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Kirk surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kirk surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kirk 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 8,558 #311
1861 historical 8,508 #328
1881 historical 12,991 #317
1891 historical 13,810 #307
1901 historical 15,995 #318
1911 historical 14,667 #336
1997 modern 18,651 #311
1998 modern 19,188 #314
1999 modern 19,289 #314
2000 modern 19,047 #316
2001 modern 18,651 #315
2002 modern 18,901 #318
2003 modern 18,448 #315
2004 modern 18,443 #318
2005 modern 18,255 #318
2006 modern 18,284 #317
2007 modern 18,472 #316
2008 modern 18,521 #316
2009 modern 18,924 #318
2010 modern 19,322 #315
2011 modern 19,013 #316
2012 modern 18,767 #315
2013 modern 19,159 #315
2014 modern 19,318 #317
2015 modern 19,098 #316
2016 modern 18,963 #318

Geography

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Where Kirks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, London parishes, Edinburgh, Nottingham St Mary and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Castle Douglas, East Riding of Yorkshire, Sheffield, North East Derbyshire and Broxtowe. 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 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire
5 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Castle Douglas Dumfries and Galloway
2 East Riding of Yorkshire 026 East Riding of Yorkshire
3 Sheffield 003 Sheffield
4 North East Derbyshire 009 North East Derbyshire
5 Broxtowe 003 Broxtowe

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kirk

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kirk

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

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Kirk surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Kirk household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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, Kirk 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

Kirk is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Kirk

The surname Kirk is of Scottish origin, derived from the Old Norse word 'kirkja' meaning 'church'. It originated in the northern counties of Scotland, particularly in areas with a strong Viking influence during the 8th to 11th centuries.

The name likely referred to someone who lived near a church or worked in a church-related occupation. The earliest recorded spelling of the name was 'Kyrc' in the 12th century. Variations of the spelling included 'Kirke', 'Kyrke', and 'Kerke'.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landholders in England after the Norman Conquest, there are several entries of people with the name 'Kirk' or similar spellings. This suggests the name was already in use in parts of England by the late 11th century.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Kirk was William Kyrc, a landowner in Berwickshire, Scotland, mentioned in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which documented those who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various documents in Scotland, such as the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, where a John Kyrk was mentioned in 1359. During this period, the name was also associated with places like Kirkcudbrightshire and Kirkpatrick in Scotland.

Some notable individuals with the surname Kirk throughout history include:

1. Thomas Kirk (c. 1765-1797), a Scottish explorer and fur trader in North America. 2. John Kirk (1832-1922), a Scottish naturalist and companion of David Livingstone during his explorations in Africa. 3. Thomas Kirk (1828-1898), a Scottish-born botanist and explorer in New Zealand. 4. Norman Kirk (1923-1974), a New Zealand politician and Prime Minister from 1972 to 1974. 5. James Kirk (1779-1859), a Scottish-born merchant and landowner in Canada, known for establishing the town of Kirkmichael.

The surname Kirk has also been associated with various places, such as Kirkton, Kirkcaldy, and Kirkwall in Scotland, reflecting the name's origins and connections to churches and religious establishments.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Kirk surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kirk surname in 1881?

In 1881, 12,991 people were recorded with the Kirk surname. That placed it at #317 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kirk surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 18,963 in 2016. That gives Kirk a modern rank of #318.

What does the Kirk surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from the Old Norse word "kirkja," meaning "church," likely referring to someone who lived near a church.

What does the Kirk map show?

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