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

Kirkland, 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 Kirkland surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kirkland in America

Kirkland is the 1161st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kirkland surname appeared 30,283 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 10 people would have the surname Kirkland.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kirkland 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 Kirkland

The surname Kirkland has its origins in the northern regions of England and Scotland, dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old Norse words "kirk" meaning church and "land" meaning land or estate. The name likely referred to individuals who owned or lived on land near a church.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kirkland can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Northumberland from 1208, where a William de Kirkelanda is mentioned. This suggests the name was already established in the region at that time.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, variations of the spelling emerged, such as Kirkelande, Kirklande, and Kirkeland. These variations highlight the fluidity of surname spellings in those times before standardization.

In Scotland, the name Kirkland can be traced back to the region of Dumfriesshire, where a family of landowners held estates near the Kirkpatrick parish church. Records from the 14th century mention a John de Kyrkelande, who was likely associated with this area.

A notable historical figure bearing the Kirkland name was Sir John Kirkland (c. 1515-1572), a Scottish landowner and member of the Scottish Parliament. He played a role in the conflicts between Catholic and Protestant factions during the Scottish Reformation.

Another prominent individual was Thomas Kirkland (c. 1600-1675), an English clergyman and author who served as the rector of Coxwold in Yorkshire. He wrote several religious treatises and sermons during his lifetime.

In the 17th century, the name Kirkland began appearing in colonial records of the American colonies. One of the earliest settlers was Nathaniel Kirkland (1644-1719), who arrived in Massachusetts from England and became a prominent landowner and deacon in the town of Norwich, Connecticut.

A notable figure from the 18th century was Samuel Kirkland (1741-1808), a Congregational missionary who worked extensively with Native American tribes, particularly the Oneida and Tuscarora nations in upstate New York.

In the 19th century, Joseph Kirkland (1830-1894) was a Scottish-American businessman and politician who served as the 25th mayor of Chicago from 1876 to 1877.

The Kirkland surname continues to be prevalent in various parts of the world, particularly in regions with historical ties to England and Scotland, reflecting its enduring legacy as a name rooted in the history and geography of those lands.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kirkland

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

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

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

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