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

Killebrew, 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 Killebrew surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Killebrew in America

Killebrew is the 107134th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Killebrew surname appeared 166 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 Killebrew.

We can also compare 2010 data for Killebrew 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 Killebrew

The surname KILLIEBREW originated in Scotland during the 16th century. It is derived from the Scottish Gaelic words "coille" meaning "wood" and "brù" meaning "hill" or "brae." The name likely referred to someone who lived near a wooded hill or hillside.

The earliest recorded instances of the name appear in parish records from the Highlands region of Scotland, particularly in Inverness-shire and Ross-shire. Variations in spelling include Killibrew, Kyllibrew, and Killiebrew.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was John Killiebrew, born around 1575 in Inverness-shire. Records show he was a landowner and farmer in the region.

In the 17th century, the name began to spread beyond the Highlands as members of the Killiebrew family migrated to other parts of Scotland and England. Notable individuals include:

1. Robert Killiebrew (1620-1678), a merchant from Edinburgh who established trade routes with Europe and the Americas.
2. Elizabeth Killiebrew (1645-1703), a renowned herbalist and apothecary in London.
3. James Killiebrew (1670-1742), a Scottish sailor who served in the British Royal Navy and participated in several battles during the War of the Spanish Succession.

As the British Empire expanded in the 18th and 19th centuries, some Killiebrews emigrated to North America and other parts of the world. One notable figure was:

4. William Killiebrew (1785-1860), a Scottish-born farmer and landowner who settled in Virginia, United States, in the early 19th century.

Another was:

5. Alexander Killiebrew (1810-1892), a Canadian explorer and surveyor who mapped vast territories in Western Canada and the Arctic regions.

While the name KILLIEBREW is not as common today, it remains firmly rooted in its Scottish origins, reflecting the history and culture of the Highlands region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Killebrew

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

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

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

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