Kirkby Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Kirkby last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Kirkby last name
Meaning of the Kirkby last name: "village with a church". Kirkby is an English surname from one of the many places called Kirkby in northern England, from Old Norse kirkja, "church", and bý, "village". The last name is common in Yorkshire, Lancashire and Cumbria. The spelling Kirby is the same surname with the k dropped.
Arms associated with the Kirkby name
Heraldry uses few colours, so a coat of arms associated with the Kirkby surname reads at a distance.
Get your full Kirkby family history
This is only a glimpse of the Kirkby story. The full Kirkby history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Kirkby coat of arms. Get the full Kirkby report.
Kirkby name FAQ
What does the Kirkby name mean?
"village with a church". Common variants include Kirby, Kerby.
Where does the Kirkby surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Australia and Canada.
Is there a Kirkby coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Kirkby coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).