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

Kirch, 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 Kirch surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kirch in America

Kirch is the 15970th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kirch surname appeared 1,818 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Kirch.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kirch 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 Kirch

The surname Kirch originated in Germany, and its roots can be traced back to the medieval period. It is a locational name derived from the German word "Kirche," meaning "church." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this name were likely associated with a church, perhaps as clergy members or residing near a particular church.

The name Kirch is believed to have first emerged in the regions of Saxony and Thuringia in central Germany. These areas were home to many small villages and towns where churches played a central role in community life. It is plausible that the Kirch surname arose as a way to distinguish individuals who lived near or worked at a local church.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Kirch surname can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of medieval documents from Saxony. In this collection, a person named Henricus Kirche is mentioned in a document dated 1285, suggesting that variations of the name were already in use by the 13th century.

In the 16th century, during the Protestant Reformation, a renowned German astronomer and naturalist named Gottfried Kirch (1639-1710) made significant contributions to the field of astronomy. He is credited with discovering several comets and is considered one of the pioneers of modern astronomy in Germany.

Another notable figure with the Kirch surname was Christfried Kirch (1694-1740), the son of Gottfried Kirch. He followed in his father's footsteps and became an accomplished astronomer, making important observations and calculations related to celestial bodies.

The Kirch name also gained prominence in the realm of literature with the German writer and dramatist Rudolf Kirch (1877-1945). He authored several plays and novels that explored themes of social criticism and human relationships.

In the field of art, the German painter and printmaker Erwin Kirch (1920-1998) made significant contributions to the development of abstract expressionism. His works were showcased in numerous exhibitions throughout Europe and the United States.

While the surname Kirch originated in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and intermarriage. However, its roots remain firmly embedded in the German cultural and linguistic heritage, reflecting the historical significance of churches in shaping community identities and naming traditions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kirch

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

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

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

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