Meaning and origin
The last name Kirby has its origins in medieval England, deriving from the Old Norse personal name Kerleifr or Kærlif, composed of the elements "karl," meaning free man or peasant, and "leifr," meaning inheritance or descendant. Over time, this name transformed into various spellings such as Kerby, Kirbie, and finally Kirby, which ultimately became a surname. The Kirby surname spread across different regions of England, and its bearers played significant roles in historical events, including the Norman Conquest, the Crusades, and the colonization of America, leaving a rich genealogical legacy for modern Kirby descendants.
Surname origins are rarely settled: one spelling can have several sources, and families often took a name for reasons nobody wrote down. Check it against the sources below before you rely on it.
Similar spellings
#633
Kirby was the 633rd most common surname in the 2010 US Census, with 53,767 people, about 18 in every 100,000.
Who carries it
Surnames like Kirby
Names it is linked with, then names with the same origin and a similar standing.
Check the sources
- Forebears: where Kirby is found around the world
- The Internet Surname Database: a second opinion on the origin
- US Census Bureau: the 2010 surname figures used here
For a name you are serious about, compare the dictionaries: Reaney and Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames; Hanks, Dictionary of American Family Names.