Contents [hide]

Kilburn History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Kilburn History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancestry of the name Kilburn dates from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It comes from when the family lived in one of three places: Kilbourne, a township, in the parish of Horsley, union of Belper, hundred of Morleston and Litchurch, in Derbyshire; or Kilburn, a hamlet, in Middlesex; or Kilburn, a parish in the North Riding of Yorkshire. 1

It is generally thought that the Yorkshire parish is the oldest as it was listed in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Chileburne. 2 The Middlesex (Greater London) parish dates back to c. 1130 when it was known as Cuneburna and finally the Derbyshire parish was known as Kileburn in 1179. All were derived from the Old English "stream by a kiln 3 or "stream of a man called Cylla." 4

Early Origins of the Kilburn family

The surname Kilburn was first found in Derbyshire where Ralph le Kylburn was listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. 5

A few years later in 1284, Richard de Killeburne was listed in Yorkshire and later again, Thomas de Kilburn was similarly listed there in 1305. 6

Early History of the Kilburn family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kilburn research. Another 144 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1576, 1587, 1605, 1623, 1626, 1746 and 1807 are included under the topic Early Kilburn History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kilburn Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Kilburn have been found, including Kilborne, Kilbourn, Kilbourne, Kilburn, Kilburne and others.

Early Notables of the Kilburn family

Another 36 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Kilburn Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kilburn Ranking

In the United States, the name Kilburn is the 5,777^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 7

Kilburn migration to the United States +

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Kilburn, or a variant listed above:

Kilburn Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

George Kilburn, who arrived in Rowley, Massachusetts in 1640 8

Kilburn Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Jeremiah Kilburn, who landed in America in 1765 8

Kilburn Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

A. Kilburn, aged 28, who immigrated to America from England, in 1893

Kilburn Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Avelyne Mary Kilburn, aged 36, who immigrated to the United States from Darlington, England, in 1908
Edward Byers Kilburn, aged 36, who landed in America from Darlington, England, in 1908
Fredk George Kilburn, aged 7, who immigrated to the United States from Darlington, England, in 1908
Harold Kilburn, aged 19, who landed in America, in 1913
Ethel Kilburn, aged 25, who immigrated to the United States from Bingley, England, in 1919
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Kilburn migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Kilburn Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Amasa Kilburn, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1760

Kilburn Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century

Charles Kilburn, aged 35, who immigrated to Saskatoon, Canada, in 1912
Isabel Kilburn, aged 35, who settled in Saskatoon, Canada, in 1912

Kilburn migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Kilburn Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. John Kilburn, British convict who was convicted in Greater Manchester, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Cornwall" on 28th February 1851, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 9
Mr. Septimus Kilburn, English convict who was convicted in Bedford, Bedfordshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Belgravia" on 4th April 1866, arriving in Western Australia 10

Kilburn migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Kilburn Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Miss Sarah Kilburn, (b. 1840), aged 20, English domestic servant from Oxfordshire travelling from Bristol aboard the ship "William Miles" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st August 1860 11

Contemporary Notables of the name Kilburn (post 1700) +

Terry Kilburn (b. 1926), English-born, American former child actor, best known for his role as Tiny Tim in the A Christmas Carol (1938)
Matthew Kilburn (b. 1962), American producer and writer from Reno, Nevada, known for The Shadowlands (2003), The Harvesters (2000) and The Realm
Brigadier-General Charles Solomon Kilburn (1895-1978), American Commanding Officer Florida Military District (1946) 12
Sarah Melanie Jean Kilburn (b. 1956), English actress, best known for portraying the role of Laura Bryant in the ITV police drama series The Bill
Ethan Kilburn (b. 2001), English actor from Sutton Coldfield, known for Daytimers (2016), Savage Mode and Protect Us (2015)
William Kilburn (1745-1818), English illustrator, best known for his work for William Curtis' Flora Londinensis
Tom Kilburn Kilburn CBE, FRS (1921-2001), English engineer, co-inventor of the Williams Tube, the world's first stored-program computer
Rick Kilburn (b. 1951), Canadian multiple award winning composer from Richmond, British Columbia, known for In the Zone: Rick Kilburn (2020) and Possession (1987)
Clarence Evans Kilburn (1893-1975), Republican member of the United States House of Representatives
Tom Kilburn Kilburn CBE, FRS (1921-2001), English engineer, co-inventor of the Williams Tube, the world's first stored-program computer

Historic Events for the Kilburn family +

Victoria steamboat disaster

Amelia Kilburn, Canadian passenger who was killed in the Victoria steamboat disaster when the boat capsized in 1881

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 11th March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/cornwall
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 30th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/belgravia
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2012, March 30) Charles Kilburn. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Kilburn/Charles_Solomon/USA.html