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Kirk Family History

Kirk Surname Meaning

Scottish English and Danish: from Middle English Danish kirk ‘church’ (Old Norse kirkja) a topographic name for someone who lived near a church. This name has also been established in Ireland since the 16th century or earlier.

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


Similar surnames: Birk, Wire, Kirby, Turk, Bick, Kick, Zink, Kirch, Bird, Kirn

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Kirk family from?

You can see how Kirk families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kirk family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Kirk families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 127 Kirk families living in Pennsylvania. This was about 20% of all the recorded Kirk's in USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Kirk families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kirk 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 Kirk ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Kirk. 15% of Kirk men worked as a Farmer and 8% of Kirk women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Kirk were Truck Driver and Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for Kirk | 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
    15%
  • Laborer
    14%
  • Salesman
    5%
  • Truck Driver
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    8%
  • Teacher
    8%
  • Stenographer
    6%
  • Housekeeper
    6%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Kirk family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 471,000 census records available for the last name Kirk. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kirk census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Kirk

Passenger Lists

There are 43,000 immigration records available for the last name Kirk. 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 Kirk immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 66,000 military records available for the last name Kirk. For the veterans among your Kirk ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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You've only scratched the surface of Kirk family history

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What is the average Kirk lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Kirk life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Kirk in 1942 was 54, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kirk

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