NameCensus.

UK surname

Kirsch

A German and Jewish occupational surname referring to a person who produced or sold cherry brandy.

In the 1881 census there were 52 people recorded with the Kirsch surname, ranking it #26,281 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 210, ranked #18,965, up from #26,281 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Mary Whitechapel, London parishes and St Leonard Bromley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, The Vale of Glamorgan and Barnet.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kirsch is 213 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 303.8%.

1881 census count

52

Ranked #26,281

Modern count

210

2016, ranked #18,965

Peak year

2015

213 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kirsch had 52 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #26,281 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 210 in 2016, ranked #18,965.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 154 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Outer Suburbs.

Kirsch surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kirsch surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kirsch 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 4 #32,658
1861 historical 4 #33,628
1881 historical 52 #26,281
1891 historical 60 #29,204
1901 historical 132 #19,469
1911 historical 154 #17,553
1997 modern 177 #19,018
1998 modern 188 #18,796
1999 modern 196 #18,464
2000 modern 202 #18,094
2001 modern 199 #17,996
2002 modern 200 #18,294
2003 modern 196 #18,358
2004 modern 187 #18,993
2005 modern 184 #19,117
2006 modern 187 #19,079
2007 modern 196 #18,737
2008 modern 195 #18,958
2009 modern 197 #19,218
2010 modern 209 #18,893
2011 modern 201 #19,213
2012 modern 193 #19,665
2013 modern 208 #19,041
2014 modern 206 #19,318
2015 modern 213 #18,769
2016 modern 210 #18,965

Geography

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Where Kirschs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Mary Whitechapel, London parishes, St Leonard Bromley, St Mary Stratford-le-Bow and St John Hackney. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, The Vale of Glamorgan, Barnet, Warwick and Redbridge. 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 St Mary Whitechapel London (East Districts)
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Leonard Bromley London (East Districts)
4 St Mary Stratford-le-Bow London (East Districts)
5 St John Hackney London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 013 Cornwall
2 The Vale of Glamorgan 007 Vale of Glamorgan
3 Barnet 037 Barnet
4 Warwick 004 Warwick
5 Redbridge 036 Redbridge

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kirsch

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kirsch

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Outer Suburbs

Nationally, the Kirsch surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Outer Suburbs, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Kirsch household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods are found on the outer edges of many towns and cities. Many residents were born outside the UK. Indian ethnic group representation is high. There are high numbers of families with dependent children aged 5 to 14. Incidences of disability and of provision of unpaid care are low. Neighbourhoods provide a mix of detached housing and flats, and terraced housing is not uncommon. Levels of overcrowding are low and homeownership rates are high. Professional and managerial occupations are prevalent: unemployment is low and education to degree level is the norm.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Kirsch is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Kirsch 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

Kirsch 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 Kirsch 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 - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Kirsch

The surname Kirsch has its origins in German-speaking regions of Europe, specifically in the area that is now modern-day Germany. It dates back to the 12th century and is derived from the Middle High German word "kirsche," which means "cherry." This suggests that the name may have originally been an occupational name for someone who grew or sold cherries, or perhaps lived near cherry orchards.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kirsch can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburgensis, a collection of historical documents from the region of Brandenburg, dating back to the 13th century. In this document, a person named "Henricus dictus Kirsche" is mentioned in 1261.

Another early reference to the name Kirsch appears in the chronicles of the city of Strasbourg, where a certain "Johannes Kirsche" is recorded as a resident in 1349. This suggests that the name was also present in the Alsace region of France during the medieval period.

The name Kirsch has also been associated with various place names in Germany, such as Kirschgarten, which means "cherry garden," and Kirschenbach, which means "cherry brook." These place names may have influenced the development of the surname or vice versa.

One notable individual with the surname Kirsch was Johann Peter Kirsch (1861-1940), a German artist and painter known for his landscapes and genre scenes. Another was Karl Christian Kirsch (1904-1980), a German theologian and philosopher who worked on the concept of "existential guilt."

Other individuals bearing the surname Kirsch throughout history include:

1. Hans Kirsch (1520-1597), a German goldsmith and engraver. 2. Johann Adam Kirsch (1676-1748), a German painter and engraver. 3. Georg Friedrich Kirsch (1733-1805), a German mineralogist and geologist. 4. Johann Peter Kirsch (1807-1884), a German historian and archivist. 5. Paul Kirsch (1891-1984), a German mathematician and logician.

These examples illustrate the long history and diverse backgrounds of individuals with the surname Kirsch, which can be traced back to its origins as a name associated with cherry cultivation and trade in medieval Germany.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kirsch families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kirsch 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. Middlesex leads with 26 Kirschs recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.13x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 26 5.13x
Surrey 12 4.86x
Cheshire 7 6.25x
Hampshire 4 3.85x
Northumberland 3 3.98x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Rotherhithe in Surrey leads with 12 Kirschs recorded in 1881 and an index of 191.39x.

Place Total Index
Rotherhithe 12 191.39x
Bow London 8 123.84x
Bromley London 7 62.72x
Claughton With Grange 6 1176.47x
Islington London 5 10.17x
Portsea 4 19.64x
St Andrew Holborn London 3 136.36x
Tynemouth 3 74.26x
St George Martyr London 2 194.17x
Hyde 1 30.30x
St Pancras London 1 2.45x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 5
Albert 2
Charles 2
George 2
Henry 2
Ada 1
Harrison 1
Herman 1
Jacob 1
James 1
Jonas 1
Lawrence 1
Robert 1
Thomas 1
Wm.H. 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Kirsch households.

FAQ

Kirsch surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kirsch surname in 1881?

In 1881, 52 people were recorded with the Kirsch surname. That placed it at #26,281 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kirsch surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 210 in 2016. That gives Kirsch a modern rank of #18,965.

What does the Kirsch surname mean?

A German and Jewish occupational surname referring to a person who produced or sold cherry brandy.

What does the Kirsch map show?

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