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

Killingsworth, 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 Killingsworth surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Killingsworth in America

Killingsworth is the 7135th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Killingsworth surname appeared 4,686 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Killingsworth.

We can also compare 2010 data for Killingsworth 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 Killingsworth

The surname Killingsworth has its origins in England, emerging during the medieval period of the 11th to 15th centuries. It is an Anglo-Saxon locational name derived from a place called Killingworth, which was likely a former settlement or parish within England. The name is thought to be a combination of the Old English words "cyling" meaning young man or servant, and "worth" meaning an enclosed settlement or farm.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Killingsworth name can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners and tenants commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry mentions a landowner named Radulfus de Killingworth, suggesting the name was already established by the late 11th century.

In the 13th century, records show a Roger de Killingworth who held lands in Northamptonshire, indicating the name's connection to that region of England. During the same period, a Robert de Killingworth was documented as a member of the clergy in the city of York.

Sir Robert Killingsworth, born in 1492, was a prominent figure during the reign of Henry VIII. He served as a member of the King's Privy Council and was appointed Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, a prestigious position overseeing the coastal defenses of southeastern England.

Another notable bearer of the name was William Killingsworth, born in 1607, who was among the early Puritan settlers of New England. He sailed aboard the ship Mary and John in 1630 and became one of the founders of the town of Dorchester, Massachusetts.

In the 18th century, John Killingsworth, born in 1732, was a respected merchant and landowner in the colony of Virginia. His estate, known as Killingsworth Plantation, was located along the James River and played a role in the American Revolutionary War as a staging ground for military operations.

These historical examples demonstrate the longevity and significance of the Killingsworth surname, which has its roots in the medieval settlements of England and has been carried by individuals of prominence throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Killingsworth

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

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

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

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