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Kilburn Family History

Kilburn Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from any of the three places called Kilburn (North Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Middlesex). The Yorkshire placename may derive from an Old English personal name Cylla + Old English burna ‘spring, stream’, alternating with Old Norse brunnr ‘well, spring’.

The Derbyshire placename derives from an Old English personal name Cylla + Old English burna ‘spring, stream’.

The Middlesex placename may derive from Old English cyne ‘royal’, cȳna (genitive plural of cū ‘cow’) or an Old English personal name Cylla + Old English burna ‘spring, stream’.

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


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Where is the Kilburn family from?

You can see how Kilburn families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kilburn family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Kilburn families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 827 Kilburn families living in Yorkshire. This was about 55% of all the recorded Kilburn's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Kilburn families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kilburn 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 Kilburn 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 Kilburn. 19% of Kilburn men worked as a General Labourer and 76% of Kilburn women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Kilburn were Unpaid Domestic Duties and Housewife.

View Census Data for Kilburn | 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
    19%
  • Bricklayer
    6%
  • Woollen Spinner
    4%
  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    76%
  • Incapacitated
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    2%
  • Housewife
    2%

What Kilburn family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 47,000 census records available for the last name Kilburn. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kilburn census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Kilburn

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Kilburn. 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 Kilburn immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 6,000 military records available for the last name Kilburn. For the veterans among your Kilburn ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Kilburn military records

You've only scratched the surface of Kilburn family history

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What is the average Kilburn lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Kilburn life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1949, and highest in 1971. The average life expectancy for Kilburn in 1940 was 28, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kilburn

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Kilburn 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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