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

Kilker, 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 Kilker surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kilker in America

Kilker is the 40261st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kilker surname appeared 544 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 Kilker.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kilker 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 Kilker

The surname Kilker is of English origin, emerging in the late medieval period around the 14th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "cyl" meaning "kiln" and "ker" meaning "worker," suggesting that the name's bearers were likely associated with the operation or maintenance of kilns, which were essential structures in many industries at the time.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1297, where it appears as "Kilker." This indicates that the surname was already in use by the late 13th century in the northern English county of Yorkshire.

In the 15th century, the name is documented in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1428, where it is recorded as "Kylker." This variation in spelling reflects the evolution of the name over time and the regional differences in pronunciation and orthography.

During the Tudor period, a notable figure with the surname Kilker was Thomas Kilker, who was born in 1512 in Nottinghamshire. He served as a member of the yeomen warders at the Tower of London, a prestigious position in the royal household.

In the 17th century, the Kilker name appeared in the Parish Registers of St. Mary's Church in Nottingham, where the baptism of John Kilker was recorded in 1638. This suggests that the family had established roots in the Midlands region of England by this time.

One of the most prominent individuals bearing the Kilker surname was Sir William Kilker (1654-1732), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Lincolnshire. He served as the High Sheriff of Lincolnshire in 1701 and was knighted by Queen Anne in recognition of his contributions to the local community.

In the 18th century, the name Kilker can be found in the records of the Society of Genealogists in London, where the marriage of James Kilker and Elizabeth Smith is recorded in 1743. This provides evidence of the surname's presence in the capital city during this period.

Another notable figure from this era was Robert Kilker (1721-1790), a renowned clockmaker from Yorkshire. His intricate and beautifully crafted timepieces were highly sought after by the gentry and aristocracy of the time, showcasing the skill and craftsmanship associated with the Kilker name.

As the centuries progressed, the Kilker surname continued to be represented across various regions of England, with many individuals contributing to the rich tapestry of the nation's history and cultural heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kilker

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

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

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Kilker, 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!