Find out how popular the last name Kerby is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Kerby.

Kerby, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Kerby surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kerby in America

Kerby is the 7643rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kerby surname appeared 4,345 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Kerby.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kerby to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Kerby

The surname Kerby has its origins in England, tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name derived from the Old English words "cyr" meaning "churn" and "by" meaning "farm" or "village." Thus, Kerby likely referred to a settlement where butter or cheese was produced.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kerby can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "Chirebi," reflecting the Old English spelling.

During the 13th century, the name evolved into various spellings such as Kyrby, Kyreby, and Kyriby, as documented in various medieval records and charters. These variations highlight the fluid nature of surname spellings in those times.

The earliest known bearer of the surname Kerby was John de Kerby, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1208. This official record of financial accounts suggests that the Kerby family had established roots in the northern county of Yorkshire by the early 13th century.

In the 14th century, the surname Kerby was also associated with the village of Kirby in Leicestershire, which derived its name from the Old Norse word "kirkju-by," meaning "church village." This connection is evident in the records of one William de Kyrkeby, who was mentioned in the Patent Rolls of 1334.

Notable historical figures with the surname Kerby include:

1. Sir Walter Kerby (c. 1510 - 1589), an English landowner and Member of Parliament for Derbyshire during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
2. John Kerby (c. 1616 - 1690), a Puritan minister and author who emigrated from England to Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 17th century.
3. Robert Kerby (1730 - 1803), a prominent Scottish merchant and shipowner based in Greenock, renowned for his involvement in the transatlantic trade.
4. Mary Kerby (1789 - 1865), an English author and poet, best known for her works on religious themes and moral education.
5. Sir John Kerby (1837 - 1914), a British diplomat who served as Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire and played a significant role in the negotiations leading to the Treaty of Berlin in 1878.

While the surname Kerby has evolved over centuries and spread across various regions, its origins can be traced back to the English medieval period, reflecting the significance of locational names and the rich history embedded within them.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kerby

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Kerby.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Kerby was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Kerby has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Kerby was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Kerby, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!