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

Kirby, 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 Kirby surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kirby in America

Kirby is the 633rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kirby surname appeared 53,767 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 18 people would have the surname Kirby.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kirby 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 Kirby

The surname Kirby is of English origin, deriving from the Old Norse words 'kirkju' meaning church and 'by' meaning a settlement or village. It essentially translates to 'church village' or 'village with a church'. The name is believed to have originated in the 11th century during the Norman conquest of England.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions a landowner named Turchil de Chirkebei in Lincolnshire. This early spelling variation highlights the name's Viking roots and its connection to settlements with churches.

Throughout the Middle Ages, the name spread across various regions of England, particularly in areas with strong Norse influence such as Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. The surname was often associated with people who lived near or worked for the local church or monastery.

In the 13th century, a notable bearer of the name was John de Kirby, who served as the Lord Chancellor of England under King Edward I from 1292 to 1293. Another prominent figure was Sir John Kirby (1470-1552), a courtier and landowner during the reign of Henry VIII.

During the 17th century, the Kirby family played a significant role in the English Civil War. Sir Richard Kirby (1594-1675) was a Parliamentarian officer who fought against the Royalists, while his son, Sir William Kirby (1622-1691), initially supported the Royalist cause but later switched sides.

In the realm of literature, the name is associated with William Kirby (1759-1850), an English entomologist and naturalist who wrote several influential works on insects and their classification. He is considered one of the founders of modern entomology.

Other notable bearers of the Kirby surname include Sir Walter Kirby (1844-1929), a British civil engineer who designed and built several landmark bridges in Europe and Asia, and Jack Kirby (1917-1994), the iconic American comic book artist and writer who co-created many beloved Marvel characters such as the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, and the Hulk.

The surname Kirby has maintained its presence throughout history, with variations in spelling such as Kerby, Kirbye, and Kyrbee appearing in various records and documents over the centuries. Its origins can be traced back to the early days of the Norman conquest, reflecting the influence of Norse settlers in shaping English culture and language.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kirby

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

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

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

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