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Kilian Family History

Kilian Surname Meaning

German, Dutch, Polish, and Sorbian; Slovak (also Kilián); Czech (Kilián): from German, Dutch, Polish, Upper Sorbian, Slovak, and Czech adaptations of the Irish personal name Cillín (see Killeen). Saint Kilian was a 7th-century Irish missionary to Franconia and Thuringia, martyred c. 698 at Würzburg (he is the patron saint of this German city), hence the popularity of this personal name in medieval central Europe.

Germanized or Americanized form of Polish and Sorbian Kilijan: from the Polish and Lower Sorbian personal name Kilijan of Irish origin (see 1 above).

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


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Where is the Kilian family from?

You can see how Kilian families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kilian family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Kilian families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 8 Kilian families living in Kent. This was 100% of all the recorded Kilian's in United Kingdom. Kent had the highest population of Kilian families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kilian 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 Kilian ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Timber hardware Merchant and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Kilian. 100% of Kilian men worked as a Timber hardware Merchant and 100% of Kilian women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Kilian | 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

  • Timber hardware Merchant
    100%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    100%

What Kilian family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 10,000 census records available for the last name Kilian. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kilian census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Kilian

Passenger Lists

There are 5,000 immigration records available for the last name Kilian. 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 Kilian immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Kilian military records

You've only scratched the surface of Kilian family history

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What is the average Kilian lifespan?

Between 1952 and 2004, in the United States, Kilian life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1955, and highest in 1962. The average life expectancy for Kilian in 1952 was 43, and 82 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kilian

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Kilian 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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