NameCensus.

UK surname

Kirkland

From the region of Kirkland in Cumbria, England, or someone who lived near a church.

In the 1881 census there were 2,661 people recorded with the Kirkland surname, ranking it #1,666 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,920, ranked #2,314, down from #1,666 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, St Werburgh and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stonehouse, South Derbyshire and Renfrew West.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kirkland is 3,222 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 9.7%.

1881 census count

2,661

Ranked #1,666

Modern count

2,920

2016, ranked #2,314

Peak year

1901

3,222 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kirkland had 2,661 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,666 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,920 in 2016, ranked #2,314.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,222 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Kirkland surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kirkland surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kirkland 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 1,783 #1,616
1861 historical 2,033 #1,424
1881 historical 2,661 #1,666
1891 historical 2,921 #1,608
1901 historical 3,222 #1,740
1911 historical 2,156 #2,329
1997 modern 2,853 #2,265
1998 modern 2,982 #2,259
1999 modern 3,000 #2,261
2000 modern 2,960 #2,281
2001 modern 2,895 #2,277
2002 modern 2,957 #2,274
2003 modern 2,884 #2,279
2004 modern 2,899 #2,270
2005 modern 2,841 #2,285
2006 modern 2,814 #2,311
2007 modern 2,802 #2,332
2008 modern 2,788 #2,369
2009 modern 2,852 #2,360
2010 modern 2,918 #2,365
2011 modern 2,933 #2,320
2012 modern 2,877 #2,324
2013 modern 2,940 #2,314
2014 modern 2,950 #2,316
2015 modern 2,940 #2,303
2016 modern 2,920 #2,314

Geography

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Where Kirklands are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, St Werburgh, Edinburgh, Nottingham St Mary and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stonehouse, South Derbyshire, Renfrew West and Erewash. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 St Werburgh Derbyshire
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stonehouse South Lanarkshire
2 South Derbyshire 011 South Derbyshire
3 South Derbyshire 002 South Derbyshire
4 Renfrew West Renfrewshire
5 Erewash 014 Erewash

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kirkland

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kirkland

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Kirkland surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Kirkland household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Kirkland 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

Kirkland is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Kirkland falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Kirkland

The surname Kirkland has its origins in the northern regions of England and Scotland, dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old Norse words "kirk" meaning church and "land" meaning land or estate. The name likely referred to individuals who owned or lived on land near a church.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kirkland can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Northumberland from 1208, where a William de Kirkelanda is mentioned. This suggests the name was already established in the region at that time.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, variations of the spelling emerged, such as Kirkelande, Kirklande, and Kirkeland. These variations highlight the fluidity of surname spellings in those times before standardization.

In Scotland, the name Kirkland can be traced back to the region of Dumfriesshire, where a family of landowners held estates near the Kirkpatrick parish church. Records from the 14th century mention a John de Kyrkelande, who was likely associated with this area.

A notable historical figure bearing the Kirkland name was Sir John Kirkland (c. 1515-1572), a Scottish landowner and member of the Scottish Parliament. He played a role in the conflicts between Catholic and Protestant factions during the Scottish Reformation.

Another prominent individual was Thomas Kirkland (c. 1600-1675), an English clergyman and author who served as the rector of Coxwold in Yorkshire. He wrote several religious treatises and sermons during his lifetime.

In the 17th century, the name Kirkland began appearing in colonial records of the American colonies. One of the earliest settlers was Nathaniel Kirkland (1644-1719), who arrived in Massachusetts from England and became a prominent landowner and deacon in the town of Norwich, Connecticut.

A notable figure from the 18th century was Samuel Kirkland (1741-1808), a Congregational missionary who worked extensively with Native American tribes, particularly the Oneida and Tuscarora nations in upstate New York.

In the 19th century, Joseph Kirkland (1830-1894) was a Scottish-American businessman and politician who served as the 25th mayor of Chicago from 1876 to 1877.

The Kirkland surname continues to be prevalent in various parts of the world, particularly in regions with historical ties to England and Scotland, reflecting its enduring legacy as a name rooted in the history and geography of those lands.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kirkland families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kirkland 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. Derbyshire leads with 466 Kirklands recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.45x.

County Total Index
Derbyshire 466 11.45x
Lanarkshire 460 5.47x
Ayrshire 309 15.88x
Lancashire 190 0.62x
Nottinghamshire 185 5.28x
Staffordshire 181 2.06x
Leicestershire 137 4.75x
Angus 85 3.53x
Yorkshire 75 0.29x
Middlesex 67 0.26x
Renfrewshire 63 3.13x
Midlothian 50 1.44x
Cheshire 46 0.80x
Northumberland 34 0.88x
Lincolnshire 29 0.70x
Warwickshire 26 0.40x
West Lothian 22 5.62x
Clackmannanshire 21 9.78x
Durham 15 0.19x
Essex 15 0.29x
Gloucestershire 14 0.27x
Dumfriesshire 13 2.26x
Surrey 12 0.09x
Sussex 11 0.25x
Aberdeenshire 10 0.42x
Argyllshire 10 1.38x
Kirkcudbrightshire 10 2.66x
Cumberland 9 0.40x
Dunbartonshire 9 1.29x
Kincardineshire 8 2.53x
Shropshire 8 0.36x
Isle of Man 7 1.45x
Worcestershire 7 0.21x
Norfolk 6 0.15x
Rutland 6 3.14x
Buteshire 5 3.17x
Perthshire 5 0.43x
Roxburghshire 5 1.06x
Devon 4 0.07x
Oxfordshire 4 0.25x
Buckinghamshire 3 0.19x
Cambridgeshire 3 0.18x
Royal Navy 3 0.97x
Dorset 2 0.12x
Peeblesshire 2 1.63x
Stirlingshire 2 0.21x
Suffolk 2 0.06x
Bedfordshire 1 0.07x
East Lothian 1 0.29x
Hampshire 1 0.02x
Kent 1 0.01x
Kinross-shire 1 1.52x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.17x
Selkirkshire 1 0.43x
Somerset 1 0.02x
Wigtownshire 1 0.29x
Wiltshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 86 Kirklands recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.04x.

Place Total Index
Barony 86 4.04x
Avondale 72 146.40x
Govan 69 3.32x
Nottingham St Mary 53 5.85x
Glasgow 49 3.28x
Derby St Werburgh 45 19.14x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 40 2.85x
Leicester St Margaret 38 5.40x
Stoke Upon Trent 35 3.76x
Kilmarnock 32 13.81x
Hamilton 29 12.36x
Sorn 29 75.86x
Bothwell 26 11.40x
Belper 24 30.40x
Brechin 24 25.35x
Barlestone 23 365.08x
Dalserf 23 27.40x
Burton Upon Trent 22 10.71x
Leek Lowe 21 17.98x
Rutherglen 21 17.02x
Barr 20 374.53x
Bilston 20 11.76x
Cambusnethan 20 10.71x
Dundee 20 2.22x
Long Eaton 19 35.36x
Everton 18 1.83x
Spondon 18 114.87x
Ashby De La Zouch 17 25.43x
Galston 17 31.94x
Loudoun 17 36.32x
Mauchline 17 75.99x
Salford 17 1.87x
St Quivox 17 25.83x
Ashborne 16 57.78x
Beith 16 27.55x
Derby St Peter 16 12.34x
Osbaston 16 820.51x
Toxteth Park 16 1.53x
Litchurch 15 9.15x
Liverpool 15 0.80x
Bathgate 14 16.47x
Bonsall 14 116.09x
Uttoxeter 14 31.15x
Abbey 13 4.23x
Beeston 13 32.28x
Checkley 13 57.02x
Alfreton 12 9.70x
Ayr 12 13.06x
Birmingham 12 0.55x
Chesterfield 12 7.86x
Coylton 12 43.46x
Gorton 12 4.14x
Matlock 12 21.95x
New Cumnock 12 35.56x
Stoke Golding 12 244.40x
Sturston 12 178.31x
Tillicoultry 12 25.12x
Eastbourne 11 5.45x
Edlaston 11 594.59x
Elston 11 269.61x
Kilwinning 11 17.50x
Kirkmichael 11 62.01x
Neilston 11 10.87x
New Monkland 11 4.42x
Old Cumnock 11 25.38x
St Marylebone London 11 0.79x
Stockport 11 3.72x
Sutton In Ashfield 11 14.46x
Tickhill 11 66.95x
Tissington 11 334.35x
Chelsea London 10 1.28x
Cheltenham 10 2.54x
Chorlton On Medlock 10 2.04x
Church Gresley 10 15.44x
Colvend 10 87.57x
Eaglesham 10 80.97x
Macclesfield 10 3.92x
Normanton 10 29.08x
Stewarton 10 25.97x
Walthamstow 10 5.41x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 132
Elizabeth 70
Sarah 69
Ann 31
Annie 29
Ellen 24
Jane 24
Eliza 22
Hannah 22
Emma 20
Alice 14
Emily 14
Fanny 14
Margaret 14
Martha 12
Clara 11
Harriet 10
Agnes 9
Elizth. 9
Kate 9
Caroline 8
Catherine 8
Frances 8
Lucy 8
Ada 6
Edith 6
Susan 6
Anne 5
Charlotte 5
Florence 5
Lizzie 5
Louisa 5
Maria 5
Harriett 4
Isabella 4
Lilian 4
Maggie 4
Matilda 4
Minnie 4
Ruth 4
Amelia 3
Amy 3
Grace 3
Helen 3
Lavinia 3
Margt. 3
Rebecca 3
Rose 3
Susannah 3
Marion 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 130
John 105
George 61
Thomas 53
Joseph 51
James 35
Samuel 29
Henry 28
Charles 22
Arthur 21
Robert 18
Walter 18
Edward 14
Richard 13
Alfred 12
Frederick 11
Frank 7
Isaac 7
Albert 6
Harry 6
Job 6
Edwin 5
Herbert 5
Ernest 4
Mathew 4
Stephen 4
Wm. 4
Archibald 3
Francis 3
Leonard 3
Matthew 3
Sam 3
Thos. 3
Fred 2
Frederic 2
Fredrick 2
Freer 2
Hubert 2
Jas. 2
Nathaniel 2
Saml. 2
Wilfred 2
Anson 1
Benjiman 1
Betts 1
Eli 1
Elias 1
Euon 1
Forester 1
Wm.Lewis 1

FAQ

Kirkland surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kirkland surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,661 people were recorded with the Kirkland surname. That placed it at #1,666 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kirkland surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,920 in 2016. That gives Kirkland a modern rank of #2,314.

What does the Kirkland surname mean?

From the region of Kirkland in Cumbria, England, or someone who lived near a church.

What does the Kirkland map show?

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