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Kirkman Family History

Kirkman Surname Meaning

English (Lancashire): from Middle English kirkman ‘clergyman; churchwarden; lay official responsible for church finances’.

Americanized form of German Kirchmann a cognate of 1 above or of its North German cognate Kerkmann (see Kerkman) and a very rare variant Kirkmann.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Kirkman family from?

You can see how Kirkman families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kirkman family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Kirkman families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 1,197 Kirkman families living in Lancashire. This was about 66% of all the recorded Kirkman's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Kirkman families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kirkman surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Kirkman ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Kirkman. 8% of Kirkman men worked as a General Labourer and 70% of Kirkman women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Kirkman were Builders Labourer and Unpaid Domestic.

View Census Data for Kirkman | 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 1939

  • General Labourer
    8%
  • Insurance Agent
    6%
  • Joiner
    6%
  • Builders Labourer
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    70%
  • Cotton Weaver
    3%
  • Private Means
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    2%

What Kirkman family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 51,000 census records available for the last name Kirkman. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kirkman census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Kirkman

Passenger Lists

There are 4,000 immigration records available for the last name Kirkman. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Kirkman immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 9,000 military records available for the last name Kirkman. For the veterans among your Kirkman ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Kirkman military records

You've only scratched the surface of Kirkman family history

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What is the average Kirkman lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Kirkman life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1942, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Kirkman in 1942 was 21, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kirkman

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Kirkman ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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