Show ContentsKilpatrick History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Most of the old Irish surnames that can be found throughout the world today have their roots in the Gaelic language. The original Gaelic form of the name Kilpatrick is Mac Giolla Phadraig, denoting a devotee of St. Patrick. This is the only native-Irish surname with the prefix "Fitz", as all others descend from the Normans.1

Early Origins of the Kilpatrick family

The surname Kilpatrick was first found in Ossory (Irish: Osraige), the former Kingdom of Ossory, now county Kilkenny, located in Southeastern Ireland in the province of Leinster, where they were the traditional Princes of Ossary, claiming descent from the O'Connors 2 and Giolla Padraig, a warlike chief in Ossary who lived in the second half of the 10th century. 1

Early History of the Kilpatrick family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kilpatrick research. Another 122 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1535, 1558, 1581, 1585, 1612, 1652, 1727 and 1774 are included under the topic Early Kilpatrick History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kilpatrick Spelling Variations

The recording of names in Ireland in the Middle Ages was an inconsistent endeavor at best. The many regional dialects and the predominate illiteracy would have made common surnames appear unrelated to the scribes of the period. Research into the name Kilpatrick revealed spelling variations, including Fitzpatrick, Fitzpatricks, Kilpatrick, Shera, Sherar, Sherra, Patchy, Patchie, Parogan, Parrican, Fitz, MacGilpatrick, McGilpatrick, MacIlpatrick, McIlpatrick, MacSherra, McSherra, McShera, MacShera, Sheera, McSheera and many more.

Early Notables of the Kilpatrick family

Notable amongst the family name at this time was Sir Barnaby Fitzpatrick, (1535?-1581), one of the first to submit to Henry VII and was knighted for his allegiance in 1558. He was the son and heir of Brian Fitzpatrick or MacGillapatrick, first lord...
Another 43 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Kilpatrick Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kilpatrick Ranking

In the United States, the name Kilpatrick is the 2,396th most popular surname with an estimated 12,435 people with that name. 3


United States Kilpatrick migration to the United States +

In the late 18th century, Irish families began emigrating to North America in the search of a plot of land to call their own. This pattern of emigration grew steadily until the 1840s when the Great Potato Famine of the 1840s cause thousands of Irish to flee the death and disease that accompanied the disaster. Those that made it alive to the shores of the United States and British North America (later to become Canada) were, however, instrumental in the development of those two powerful nations. Many of these Irish immigrants proudly bore the name of Kilpatrick:

Kilpatrick Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Thomas Kilpatrick, who landed in New England in 1718-1719 4
Kilpatrick Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Mathew Kilpatrick, aged 16, who arrived in Maine in 1812 4
  • James Kilpatrick, aged 34, who arrived in South Carolina in 1812 4
  • James Kilpatrick, aged 29, who landed in Maryland in 1813 4
  • William Kilpatrick, who landed in Somerset County, Pennsylvania in 1828 4
  • Joseph Kilpatrick, aged 22, who arrived in Mobile, Ala in 1849 4
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Kilpatrick Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Alexander Kilpatrick, aged 34, who immigrated to America from Donegal, in 1904
  • Cecelia Kilpatrick, aged 28, who landed in America from Blantyre, Scotland, in 1908
  • Cissy Kilpatrick, aged 16, who landed in America from Musselburgh, Scotland, in 1909
  • DeWitt Kilpatrick, aged 7, who landed in America from Musselburgh, Scotland, in 1909
  • Daniel Kilpatrick, aged 6, who immigrated to the United States from Ardersier, Scotland, in 1911
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Canada Kilpatrick migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Kilpatrick Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
Kilpatrick Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • John Kilpatrick, who landed in Canada in 1821
  • James Kilpatrick, aged 21, a carpenter, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Leslie Gault" in 1833
  • James Kilpatrick, aged 20, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Neptune" in 1834
  • Thomas Kilpatrick, aged 49, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Susan" in 1838
  • James Kilpatrick, aged 29, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Susan" in 1838
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Australia Kilpatrick migration to Australia +

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

Kilpatrick Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. George Kilpatrick, British Convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Dunvegan Castle" on 13th March 1830, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 6
  • Mr. William Kilpatrick, Scottish convict who was convicted in Edinburgh, Scotland for 14 years, transported aboard the "Eden" on 27th August 1836, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), he died in 1844 7
  • Mr. William Kilpatrick, (b. 1840), aged 3, Irish settler travelling with convict Miss Susan McKenna, transported aboard the "East London" on 10th May 1843, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 8
  • Mr. William Kilpatrick, (b. 1806), aged 44, English labourer, from London travelling from London aboard the ship "Slains Castle" arriving in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on 25th January 1851 9
  • Mrs. Hannah Kilpatrick, (b. 1808), aged 42, English housekeeper, from London travelling from London aboard the ship "Slains Castle" arriving in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on 25th January 1851 9
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Kilpatrick 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:

Kilpatrick Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. James Kilpatrick, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Bruce" arriving in Dunedin, South Island, New Zealand on 12th September 1860 10
  • Adam Kilpatrick, aged 21, a farm labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Howrah" in 1874
  • Mr. James Kilpatrick, (b. 1856), aged 22, Irish farm labourer from Armagh departing on 10th August 1878 aboard the ship "Hydaspes" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 9th November 1878
  • John F. Kilpatrick, aged 28, a ploughman, who arrived in Canterbury aboard the ship "Rimutaka" in 1885
  • Margaret Kilpatrick, aged 26, who arrived in Canterbury aboard the ship "Rimutaka" in 1885
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Kilpatrick (post 1700) +

  • Ben Kilpatrick (1877-1912), American outlaw in the Old West, member of Butch Cassidy’s Wild Bunch gang, he was killed by a hostage during a train robbery
  • Freeman Kilpatrick GM, American Staff Sergeant who was stationed at Sculthorpe in 1953 North Sea Floods, he was awarded the George Medal for his efforts in warning people
  • Erik Kilpatrick, American actor, best known for playing Curtis Jackson on the CBS television series The White Shadow, son of Lincoln Kilpatrick
  • Lincoln Kilpatrick (1932-2004), American film, television, and stage actor
  • Jimmy Kilpatrick (b. 1985), American professional AHL ice hockey player
  • Kenneth Dale "K.D." Kilpatrick Sr., (1928-2010), American funeral home owner and Democratic member of the Louisiana State Senate (1972 to 1976)
  • Brigadier-General John Reed Kilpatrick (1889-1960), American Commanding General Newport News Port of Embarkation (1942-1945), member of the Hockey Hall of Fame and College Football Hall of Fame 11
  • Hugh Judson Kilpatrick (1836-1881), American soldier, officer in the Union army during the American Civil War achieving the rank of Brevet Major General, he was later made the United States Minister to Chile
  • Robert Donald "Patrick" Kilpatrick (b. 1949), American actor who has appeared in over 85 films and television shows
  • William H. Kilpatrick (1871-1965), American educator
  • ... (Another 24 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


The Kilpatrick Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Ceart laidir a boo
Motto Translation: Might is Right


Suggested Readings for the name Kilpatrick +

  • Kilpatrick and Allied Families by Edward Floyd Kilpatrick.

  1. MacLysaght, Edward, Irish Families Their Names, Arms and Origins 4th Edition. Dublin: Irish Academic, 1982. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2364-7)
  2. O'Hart, John, Irish Pedigrees 5th Edition in 2 Volumes. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1976. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0737-4)
  3. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  4. 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)
  5. Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0
  6. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 12th August 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/dunvegan-castle
  7. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 20th October 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eden
  8. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 15th September 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/east-london
  9. The Argus News Paper 27th January 1852 Page 2 (Retrieved 26th April 2019). Retrieved from https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/4775844?browse=ndp%3Abrowse%2Ftitle%2FA%2Ftitle%2F13%2F1851%2F01%2F27%2Fpage%2F505154%2Farticle%2F4775844
  10. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  11. Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2012, March 30) John Kilpatrick. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Kilpatrick/John_Reed/USA.html


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