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

Kil, 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 Kil surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kil in America

Kil is the 32396th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kil surname appeared 710 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Kil.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kil 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 Kil

The surname KIL is of Scottish origin, deriving from the Gaelic word "cill" which means a church, cell, or monastery. It is believed to have originated in the 12th century as a locational name for someone who lived near a church or monastic settlement.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which lists those who swore fealty to King Edward I of England. The entry "Symon de Kyl" refers to a person from the village of Kil, located in the county of East Lothian, Scotland.

The name is also associated with the Kilwinning Abbey, a ruined monastery located in North Ayrshire, Scotland. This abbey was founded in the 12th century and played a significant role in the history of Scottish freemasonry. It is possible that some individuals with the surname KIL were connected to this abbey or the surrounding area.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various Scottish records, including the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, which mention individuals such as "Robertus de Kyl" and "Johannes de Kyl." These entries suggest that the name was well-established in Scotland by this time.

One notable figure with the surname KIL was Sir Andrew Kil (c. 1490-1549), a Scottish churchman and diplomat who served as the Abbot of Melrose Abbey and was involved in negotiations between Scotland and England during the reign of King James V.

Another individual of historical significance was Sir Thomas Kil (c. 1560-1632), a Scottish politician and landowner who served as a Lord of Session and was involved in the Union of the Crowns in 1603, when King James VI of Scotland became King James I of England.

In the 17th century, the surname KIL appears in various parish records and legal documents in Scotland, including references to individuals such as John Kil (c. 1620-1680), a merchant from Edinburgh, and Robert Kil (c. 1650-1710), a landowner from Aberdeenshire.

The surname KIL can also be found in other parts of the British Isles, such as England and Ireland, possibly due to Scottish migration or intermarriage. For example, John Kil (c. 1720-1785) was an English engraver and printmaker who worked in London during the 18th century.

Throughout its history, the surname KIL has been associated with various place names and localities in Scotland, reflecting its locational origins. These include Kilmarnock, Kilbride, Kilwinning, and Kilsyth, among others.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kil

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

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 Kil 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 Kil 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 Kil was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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