Kirby Name Origin, Meaning and Family History

Kirby Name Meaning: From Old Norse 'kirkja' meaning church & 'byr' meaning settlement - in other words a village with a church

Name for people from many places in northern England called Kirby or Kirkby. Early records refer to an ecclesiastic by the name of John Kirkby. He frequently acted as keeper of the seal during the reign of Henry 111 & was appointed Bishop of Ely in 1286 - a post he held until his death on 26 March 1290.

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Surname Distribution

Census frequency by county

Name Concentrations Within England and Wales

Kirby Surname Statistics


Top Professions for the Kirby family

Profession Census Frequency
Scholar 2,243
Agricultural Labourer 280
Labourer 118
Dress Maker 106
General Labourer 106
General Servant 101
Domestic Servant 98
Farm Labourer 66
Laundress 63
Cotton Weaver 63
Coal Miner 54
Farm Servant Indoor 48
Charwoman 43
Tailor 42
General Servant Domestic 37
Carpenter 36
Farmers Son 35
Bricklayer 31
Farmers Wife 28
House Keeper 27
Annuitant 26
Butcher 24
Baker 23
Servant Domestic 23
Farmers Daughter 22

Kirby Surname Variants Ranking

Rank Surname Match Census Frequency
1 Kirby 100% 75,626
2 Kerby 80% 7,997
3 Kerbey 67% 641
4 Karby 80% 608
5 Curby 60% 299
6 Kirbey 83% 233
7 Kriby 60% 209

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The surname Kirby is the most popular version of all its varients

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