Kirkbride History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Kirkbride was brought to England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Kirkbride family lived near a church which is derived from the Scottish word kirk, which means church. There is a town called Kirkbridge in Cumberland, about 6 miles from Wigton. 1

Early Origins of the Kirkbride family

The surname Kirkbride was first found in Cumberland, where Adam de Logis adopted this surname after being granted the village of Kirkbride by his father. Kirkbride is located in Cumbria, near the Kirkbride Roman fort which dates back to 122 AD and Hadrian's Wall. Richard de Kirkbride was heir portioner of Helewysa de Levintone, Cumberland in 1274. 2

Early History of the Kirkbride family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kirkbride research. Another 121 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1274, 1677 and 1742 are included under the topic Early Kirkbride History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kirkbride Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Kirkbride, Kirkbryd, Kirkbright and others.

Early Notables of the Kirkbride family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Adam Kirkbride, who held the village of Kirkbride in the 12th century

Kirkbride migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Kirkbride or a variant listed above:

Kirkbride Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Joseph Kirkbride to Pennsylvania in 1684

Kirkbride Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

David Kirkbride to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1833
Owen Kirkbride to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1860

Kirkbride migration to Australia +

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

Kirkbride Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Miss Ann Kirkbride who was convicted in Durham, England for 10 years, transported aboard the "Cadet" on 4th September 1847, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Kirkbride (post 1700) +

Ronald de Levington Kirkbride (1912-1973), American writer of escapist romances and mystery novels, one of his works was optioned by Alfred Hitchcock, but was never made into a film
Thomas Story Kirkbride (b. 1809), American psychiatrist and originator of the Kirkbride Plan
Mabelle M. Kirkbride, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Pennsylvania, 1932 4
Joel P. Kirkbride, American politician, Member of New Jersey State House of Assembly from Camden County, 1861-62 4
Mrs. Dan Kirkbride, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Wyoming, 1948 4
Charles E. Kirkbride, American politician, Member of Pennsylvania State House of Representatives from Allegheny County, 1906 4
Anne Kirkbride (1954-2015), British actress, best known for her role as Deirdre Barlow in Coronation Street
Sir Alec Seath Kirkbride (1897-1978), British diplomat, Ambassador of Great Britain to Amman (1946)
Peter Kirkbride (1987-2010), Scottish silver medalist weightlifter at the 2010 Commonwealth Games
Julie Kirkbride (b. 1960), British politician, Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (2003-2005)
... (Another 1 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 17th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/cadet/
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 27) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html