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

Kirk, 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 Kirk surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kirk in America

Kirk is the 623rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kirk surname appeared 54,394 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 Kirk.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kirk 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 Kirk

The surname Kirk is of Scottish origin, derived from the Old Norse word 'kirkja' meaning 'church'. It originated in the northern counties of Scotland, particularly in areas with a strong Viking influence during the 8th to 11th centuries.

The name likely referred to someone who lived near a church or worked in a church-related occupation. The earliest recorded spelling of the name was 'Kyrc' in the 12th century. Variations of the spelling included 'Kirke', 'Kyrke', and 'Kerke'.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landholders in England after the Norman Conquest, there are several entries of people with the name 'Kirk' or similar spellings. This suggests the name was already in use in parts of England by the late 11th century.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Kirk was William Kyrc, a landowner in Berwickshire, Scotland, mentioned in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which documented those who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various documents in Scotland, such as the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, where a John Kyrk was mentioned in 1359. During this period, the name was also associated with places like Kirkcudbrightshire and Kirkpatrick in Scotland.

Some notable individuals with the surname Kirk throughout history include:

1. Thomas Kirk (c. 1765-1797), a Scottish explorer and fur trader in North America.
2. John Kirk (1832-1922), a Scottish naturalist and companion of David Livingstone during his explorations in Africa.
3. Thomas Kirk (1828-1898), a Scottish-born botanist and explorer in New Zealand.
4. Norman Kirk (1923-1974), a New Zealand politician and Prime Minister from 1972 to 1974.
5. James Kirk (1779-1859), a Scottish-born merchant and landowner in Canada, known for establishing the town of Kirkmichael.

The surname Kirk has also been associated with various places, such as Kirkton, Kirkcaldy, and Kirkwall in Scotland, reflecting the name's origins and connections to churches and religious establishments.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kirk

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

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

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

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