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Kirkwood Family History

Kirkwood Surname Meaning

Scottish (central): habitational name from any of at least three places in Scotland called Kirkwood (Ayrshire, Dumfriesshire, Lanarkshire), named with Middle English kirk ‘church’.

(Old Norse kirkja) + wode ‘wood’.

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


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Where is the Kirkwood family from?

You can see how Kirkwood families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kirkwood family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Kirkwood families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 191 Kirkwood families living in Lancashire. This was about 27% of all the recorded Kirkwood's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Kirkwood families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kirkwood 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 Kirkwood 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 Kirkwood. 12% of Kirkwood men worked as a General Labourer and 74% of Kirkwood women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Kirkwood were Railway Carter and Domestic Servant.

View Census Data for Kirkwood | 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
    12%
  • Barman
    6%
  • Iron Moulder
    6%
  • Railway Carter
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    74%
  • Incapacitated
    3%
  • Private Means
    3%
  • Domestic Servant
    3%

What Kirkwood family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 78,000 census records available for the last name Kirkwood. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kirkwood census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Kirkwood

Passenger Lists

There are 14,000 immigration records available for the last name Kirkwood. 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 Kirkwood immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 13,000 military records available for the last name Kirkwood. For the veterans among your Kirkwood ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Kirkwood military records

You've only scratched the surface of Kirkwood family history

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What is the average Kirkwood lifespan?

Between 1946 and 2004, in the United States, Kirkwood life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1946, and highest in 1995. The average life expectancy for Kirkwood in 1946 was 46, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kirkwood

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Kirkwood 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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