NameCensus.

UK surname

Kirkby

A locational surname referring to someone from any of various places called Kirkby.

In the 1881 census there were 1,703 people recorded with the Kirkby surname, ranking it #2,524 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,268, ranked #2,860, down from #2,524 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Boston (incl. Boston allotments) and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barrow-in-Furness, North Lincolnshire and Copeland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kirkby is 2,391 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 33.2%.

1881 census count

1,703

Ranked #2,524

Modern count

2,268

2016, ranked #2,860

Peak year

1911

2,391 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kirkby had 1,703 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,524 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,268 in 2016, ranked #2,860.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,391 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Kirkby surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kirkby surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kirkby 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 1,295 #2,213
1861 historical 1,346 #2,125
1881 historical 1,703 #2,524
1891 historical 1,862 #2,474
1901 historical 2,038 #2,627
1911 historical 2,391 #2,144
1997 modern 2,300 #2,702
1998 modern 2,337 #2,771
1999 modern 2,379 #2,745
2000 modern 2,371 #2,734
2001 modern 2,321 #2,735
2002 modern 2,389 #2,723
2003 modern 2,331 #2,724
2004 modern 2,329 #2,722
2005 modern 2,299 #2,722
2006 modern 2,272 #2,751
2007 modern 2,259 #2,784
2008 modern 2,276 #2,789
2009 modern 2,323 #2,807
2010 modern 2,377 #2,813
2011 modern 2,350 #2,806
2012 modern 2,264 #2,849
2013 modern 2,301 #2,853
2014 modern 2,300 #2,869
2015 modern 2,265 #2,874
2016 modern 2,268 #2,860

Geography

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Where Kirkbys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Boston (incl. Boston allotments), London parishes, Dalton-in-Furness and Sheffield. 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, North Lincolnshire 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 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
2 Boston (incl. Boston allotments) Lincolnshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Dalton-in-Furness Lancashire
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barrow-in-Furness 001 Barrow-in-Furness
2 North Lincolnshire 001 North Lincolnshire
3 Copeland 006 Copeland
4 North Lincolnshire 015 North Lincolnshire
5 North Lincolnshire 005 North Lincolnshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kirkby

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kirkby

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Kirkby is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Kirkby is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Kirkby falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Kirkby

The surname Kirkby traces its origins to England, where it emerged during the medieval period. It is a locational name derived from the Old Norse words "kirkja" meaning church and "byr" meaning village or settlement. The name refers to someone who lived in a village with a church or near a church.

Kirkby is a common place name found in various parts of England, particularly in the North and Midlands regions. The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which lists several places with the name Kirkby.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname was Roger de Kirkby, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1166. Another early reference is found in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1273, which mentions a John de Kyrkeby.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name appeared in various spellings, such as Kirkebi, Kyrkeby, and Kyrkby, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling at the time.

Notable individuals with the surname Kirkby include:

1. John Kirkby (c. 1310 - c. 1390), an English Franciscan friar and philosopher who wrote on logic and theology.

2. Richard Kirkby (c. 1355 - 1397), an English Carmelite friar and theologian who served as the Bishop of Durham.

3. Thomas Kirkby (fl. 1450), an English composer and music theorist during the Renaissance period.

4. John Kirkby (1705 - 1770), an English writer and biographer who authored several works on the lives of authors and poets.

5. William Kirkby (1786 - 1857), a British artist known for his landscapes and marine paintings.

The name Kirkby is also found in various place names across England, such as Kirkby Lonsdale in Cumbria, Kirkby Malzeard in North Yorkshire, and Kirkby-in-Ashfield in Nottinghamshire, further reinforcing its locational origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kirkby families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kirkby 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. Yorkshire leads with 449 Kirkbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.74x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 449 2.74x
Lincolnshire 289 10.93x
Lancashire 221 1.13x
Nottinghamshire 123 5.52x
Middlesex 100 0.60x
Cumberland 72 5.05x
Surrey 57 0.71x
Derbyshire 49 1.89x
Hertfordshire 37 3.24x
Kent 36 0.64x
Westmorland 31 8.53x
Essex 23 0.70x
Staffordshire 20 0.36x
Huntingdonshire 18 5.48x
Leicestershire 18 0.98x
Durham 15 0.30x
Somerset 12 0.45x
Northumberland 11 0.45x
Northamptonshire 10 0.64x
Warwickshire 9 0.22x
Berkshire 8 0.64x
Fife 7 0.71x
Shropshire 7 0.49x
Cheshire 6 0.16x
Lanarkshire 6 0.11x
Merionethshire 6 1.98x
Midlothian 6 0.27x
Monmouthshire 6 0.50x
Oxfordshire 6 0.59x
Buckinghamshire 5 0.50x
Sussex 5 0.18x
Norfolk 4 0.16x
Angus 3 0.20x
Caithness 3 1.32x
Devon 3 0.09x
Glamorgan 3 0.10x
Bedfordshire 2 0.23x
Gloucestershire 2 0.06x
Suffolk 2 0.10x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.10x
Cardiganshire 1 0.25x
East Lothian 1 0.46x
Hampshire 1 0.03x
Roxburghshire 1 0.33x
Rutland 1 0.82x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 43 Kirkbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.64x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 43 4.64x
Barrow In Furness 37 13.86x
Sculcoates 37 14.24x
Sheffield 29 5.56x
Boston 24 29.90x
Eckington 24 38.14x
Hucknall Torkard 24 42.44x
Islington London 23 1.43x
Nottingham St Mary 22 3.81x
Ecclesall Bierlow 20 6.00x
Ulverston 20 34.98x
Gainsborough 17 27.26x
Cleator 16 26.99x
Wortley In Bramley 16 12.32x
Burley In Wharfdale 15 103.59x
Dalton In Furness 15 19.79x
Holbeck 15 13.81x
Newark Upon Trent 15 18.71x
Upper Holker 15 323.97x
Ecclesfield 14 11.65x
Swaby 14 598.29x
Trentham 14 29.47x
Hunslet 13 5.09x
Morley 13 15.25x
Undermilbeck 13 108.42x
Elton 12 261.44x
Epping 12 90.43x
Paddington London 12 1.97x
Algarkirk 11 374.15x
Ealing 11 7.44x
Harthill Cum Woodall 11 175.16x
Hartwith Cum Winsley 11 183.03x
Maidstone 11 6.54x
Tynemouth 11 8.34x
Winterton 11 121.15x
Ashton Under Lyne 10 2.33x
Battersea 10 1.64x
Beeston 10 39.03x
Everton 10 1.60x
Hornsey 10 4.78x
Nether Hallam 10 4.51x
Basford 9 8.76x
Camberwell 9 0.85x
Carnforth 9 83.49x
Rothwell 9 27.18x
Sand Hutton 9 642.86x
Thorpe Salvin 9 439.02x
Bennington 8 244.65x
Bootle 8 173.91x
Canterbury St George 8 118.17x
Clayworth 8 321.29x
Cumberworth 8 634.92x
Frodingham 8 84.93x
Nassington 8 197.53x
Pilling 8 86.86x
Rotherhithe 8 3.91x
West Derby 8 1.39x
Bow London 7 3.32x
Bradfield 7 11.08x
Cadney 7 275.59x
Chorlton On Medlock 7 2.24x
Croydon 7 1.56x
Eastwick 7 1296.30x
Liverpool 7 0.59x
Marske In Guisbrough 7 24.05x
Morton In Gainsborough 7 134.62x
Radford 7 6.18x
Scoonie 7 33.00x
Seals 7 108.36x
Stoke Newington London 7 5.43x
Tasley 7 1590.91x
Thoresway 7 479.45x
Ilminster 6 32.26x
Kirkby Malzeard 6 167.13x
Little Ponton 6 461.54x
Middlesbrough 6 2.81x
Pilsley 6 70.18x
Sawbridgeworth 6 34.74x
Underbarrow Bradley 6 228.14x
Whitbeck 6 571.43x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 100
William 76
Thomas 67
George 62
James 59
Henry 43
Charles 31
Robert 29
Joseph 24
Frederick 20
Alfred 19
Samuel 19
Edward 16
Frank 12
Walter 12
Harry 11
Richard 11
Arthur 9
Fred 9
Isaac 9
Albert 8
Benjamin 6
Edwin 6
Mark 6
Hartley 5
Herbert 5
Joe 5
Thos. 5
Tom 5
David 4
Wm. 4
Edmund 3
Ernest 3
Francis 3
Robt. 3
Willie 3
Frederic 2
Fredrick 2
Jno. 2
Jonathan 2
Martin 2
Matthew 2
Paul 2
Percy 2
Philip 2
Ronald 2
Septumus 2
Sidney 2
Stephen 2
Willm. 2

FAQ

Kirkby surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kirkby surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,703 people were recorded with the Kirkby surname. That placed it at #2,524 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kirkby surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,268 in 2016. That gives Kirkby a modern rank of #2,860.

What does the Kirkby surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from any of various places called Kirkby.

What does the Kirkby map show?

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