Kirker History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland
England

The surname Kirker is a topographic surname, which was given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree. Habitation names form the other broad category of surnames that were derived from place-names. The name Kirker is a "northern pronunciation of Church. Many parishes in the northern counties have this prefix, as Kirk-Heaton, Kirk-Newton, Kirk-Malew, Kirk-Linton, Kirk-Oswald, Kirk-Sandal." 1

Early Origins of the Kirker family

The surname Kirker was first found in Yorkshire, England where Robertus del Kirke and Johannes de Kirke were listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. 2

As a name found on the border with Scotland, we must look to the 15th century to find the first occurrences there. "Sir Patrick Kyrk, chaplain of the altar of S. Mary, Perth, 1456, Andrew Kyrk, witness at Arnbroath, 1459." 3 Later we found Alexander Kirk, bailie of St. Andrews, 1520. James Kirk, charter witness at Inveraray, 1608. The old Dumfriesshire surname of Kihkhok is now merged in this name. 3

Early History of the Kirker family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kirker research. Another 167 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1258, 1547, 1553, 1590, 1597, 1600, 1613, 1629, 1638, 1641, 1644, 1646, 1650, 1654, 1675, 1681, 1683, 1691, 1692, 1706, 1742 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Kirker History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kirker Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Kirk, Kirkhoe, Kirkaugh, Kirko, Kirkoe and others.

Early Notables of the Kirker family

Notable among the family at this time was Edward Kirke (1553-1613), English poet and scholar, a close friend of the poet Spenser; Robert Kirk (1644-1692), a Scottish minister, Gaelic scholar and folklorist from Aberfoyle, Stirling, best known for his "The Secret Commonwealth," a treatise on fairy folklore, witchcraft and ghosts; John Kirke (fl. 1638), English dramatist, author of a popular tragic comedy "The Seven Champions of Christendome" in 1638; and Lieutenant General Percy Kirke (c. 1646-1691), an English soldier and diplomat, Governor of Tangier (1681-1683.)Robert Kirk (c. 1641-1692) was a Gaelic scholar, the youngest son of James Kirk, minister at Aberfoyle...
Another 127 words (9 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Kirker Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Kirker family to Ireland

Some of the Kirker family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 76 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kirker migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Kirker Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Thomas Kirker, aged 32, who immigrated to the United States, in 1902
William Kirker, aged 29, who landed in America from Belfast, in 1903
James Kirker, aged 46, who immigrated to the United States from New Zealand, in 1903
Mary Kirker, aged 54, who landed in America from Belfast, in 1906
Alice M Kirker, aged 31, who settled in America, in 1907
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Kirker (post 1700) +

Eric Kirker, American actor, known for his work on The Bay (2010) and Unhallowed and Jack Rio (2008)
Islean Kirker, American actor, known for stalkTALK (2011) and Blader High (2015)
James Kirker (1793-1852), Irish-born, American pirate, soldier, mercenary, merchant, fur trader and scalp hunter
Thomas Kirker (1760-1837), Democratic-Republican politician and the second Governor of Ohio
William Kirker (1866-1942), New Zealand cricketer from Christchurch, New Zealand who played in three first-class matches for Wellington from 1887 to 1894
Marion Queenie Kirker (1879-1971), New Zealand photographer born in Auckland whose work is held in the collection of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

The Kirker 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: Optimum quod primum
Motto Translation: That is best that is first.

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
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)