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Kirby Family History

Kirby Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from any of numerous places in northern and eastern England called Kirby or Kirkby from Old Norse kirkja ‘church’ + bȳ ‘farmstead village’. Irish: adopted for Ó Garmhaic ‘descendant of Cíarmhac’ a personal name meaning ‘dark son’. Compare Kerwick . Irish: Anglicized form of Mac Geirble ‘son of Geirble’ a personal name of uncertain origin. The name is preserved in the townland name of Carrowkeribly in County Mayo. Americanized form of French Corbeil or of its cognate Corbeille which is in North America (also) an altered form of the former name.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Irby, Kilby, Corby, Wilby, Furby, Bigby, Kirkeby, Wisby, Carby, Kibby

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Kirby family from?

You can see how Kirby families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kirby family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Kirby families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 67 Kirby families living in New York. This was about 15% of all the recorded Kirby's in USA. New York had the highest population of Kirby families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kirby surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Kirby ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Kirby. 16% of Kirby men worked as a Farmer and 7% of Kirby women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Kirby were Truck Driver and Stenographer. .

View Census Data for Kirby | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    16%
  • Laborer
    15%
  • Salesman
    5%
  • Truck Driver
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    7%
  • Housekeeper
    7%
  • Teacher
    6%
  • Stenographer
    6%
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What Kirby family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 430,000 census records available for the last name Kirby. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kirby census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Kirby

Passenger Lists

There are 37,000 immigration records available for the last name Kirby. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Kirby immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 70,000 military records available for the last name Kirby. For the veterans among your Kirby ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Kirby lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Kirby life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Kirby in 1941 was 36, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kirby

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