The name Killach is part of the ancient legacy of the
Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is a product of when the family lived in Kilnwick or Kilnwick Percy in the East Riding of
Yorkshire. They are now found in Humberside, a new county formed after the reorganization of
local government in
England in 1974. The place-name is based on the Old English
personal name Cylla, and means "farm of a man named Cylla."
[1]CITATION[CLOSE]
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4) Kilnwick was recorded as
Chileuuit [2]CITATION[CLOSE]
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8) in the
Domesday Book in 1086, and as
Killingwic in the 12th century. Kilnwick Percy was named
Chelingewic in 1086, as is recorded in the
Domesday Book. The surname means "of Kilnwick."
Early Origins of the Killach family
The surname Killach was first found in
Yorkshire at Kilnwick (or Kilnwick-on-the-Wolds), a village and parish in the
Yorkshire Wolds. "Many provincial dialects drop the final N of Kiln; and the W in the termination, as in War(w)ick, Nor(w)ich."
[3]CITATION[CLOSE]
Lowe, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Early History of the Killach family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Killach research.
Another 171 words (12 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Killach History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Killach Spelling Variations
The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few
hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time,
spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Killach has been spelled many different ways, including Killick, Killwick, Killik, Killicke and others.
Early Notables of the Killach family (pre 1700)
More information is included under the topic Early Killach Notables in all our
PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Killach family to the New World and Oceana
Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Killachs to arrive in North America: James Killicke settled in Virginia in 1648.