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

Kirtley, 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 Kirtley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kirtley in America

Kirtley is the 11327th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kirtley surname appeared 2,786 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 Kirtley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kirtley 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 Kirtley

The surname Kirtley is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. The name is believed to have derived from the Old English words "Cyrt" and "leah," which translate to "a short person" and "a clearing in a forest," respectively. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to a short person residing in a forest clearing or a location with a similar description.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of England compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. The entry mentions a landowner named Willelmus de Kirteleia, which is believed to be an early spelling variation of the surname Kirtley.

During the 13th century, the name appeared in various historical records, often associated with places like Kirtlington in Oxfordshire and Kirtley in Cambridgeshire. These place names were likely derived from the same Old English roots as the surname, indicating a strong connection between the name and specific geographical locations.

One notable individual bearing the Kirtley surname was Sir John Kirtley (1565-1643), an English politician and landowner who served as a member of the Parliament of England during the reign of King James I. Another prominent figure was Thomas Kirtley (1711-1798), a renowned English clock and watchmaker recognized for his innovative contributions to the field of horology.

In the 17th century, the name Kirtley appeared in the records of early settlers in the American colonies. One such individual was William Kirtley, who arrived in Virginia in 1635 and is considered one of the first bearers of the name in the New World.

Other historical figures with the Kirtley surname include:

1. Robert Kirtley (1794-1877), a British engineer and inventor credited with developing the first successful screw propeller for marine vessels.

2. Mary Kirtley (1871-1942), an American educator and suffragist who played a prominent role in advocating for women's rights and equal educational opportunities.

3. James Kirtley (1809-1898), a Scottish-born American educator and politician who served as the 12th Lieutenant Governor of Ohio from 1860 to 1862.

4. Henry Kirtley (1803-1869), an English-born Australian businessman and entrepreneur who founded one of the earliest commercial banks in the colony of New South Wales.

5. Reverend Thomas Kirtley (1735-1819), an English clergyman and author who published several religious works and sermons during the late 18th century.

These historical references and individuals demonstrate the long-standing presence of the Kirtley surname across various regions and fields, solidifying its English heritage and enduring significance throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kirtley

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

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

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

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