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

Kirksey, 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 Kirksey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kirksey in America

Kirksey is the 6068th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kirksey surname appeared 5,654 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 Kirksey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kirksey 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 Kirksey

The surname Kirksey is believed to have originated in England, with its roots dating back to the medieval era. It is derived from the Old English words "cirice" and "ey," which collectively translate to "church island" or "church meadow." This suggests that the name may have originated from a location or settlement that was situated near a church on an island or meadow.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Kirksey can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and properties across England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The Domesday Book mentions several individuals with variations of the name, such as Chircheseia and Kyrkesaye, indicating that the name was already in use during the 11th century.

Throughout the centuries, the surname Kirksey has been associated with various notable individuals. One prominent figure was Sir John Kirksey (1597-1677), a wealthy merchant and politician from London who served as the Lord Mayor of the City of London in 1654. Another individual of note was John Kirksey (1715-1770), an English mathematician and astronomer who contributed to the field of celestial mechanics.

In the literary world, Elizabeth Kirksey (1854-1934), an American author and poet, gained recognition for her works, which included several volumes of poetry and short stories. Additionally, the name Kirksey has been linked to geographical locations, such as Kirksey, a village in Cambridgeshire, England, which may have influenced the name's origins.

Other notable individuals bearing the surname Kirksey include William Kirksey (1768-1837), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars, and Thomas Kirksey (1804-1879), an American politician and lawyer who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives.

It is worth noting that the surname Kirksey has undergone various spelling variations over time, such as Kirkby, Kirkbey, and Kirkeby, reflecting the evolution of language and regional dialects. However, the core meaning and origin of the name have remained consistent, rooted in the concept of a church or religious settlement situated on an island or meadow.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kirksey

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

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

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

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