The surname Kirtlend was first used in the Scottish/English Borderlands by an ancient Scottish people called the Strathclyde- Britons. It was a name for someone who lived in Cumberland, at Kirkland or in Lancashire at Kirkland. Both place names have essentially the same origin: "estate belonging to a church" having been derived from the Viking word "kirkja" + "land." Kirkland in Cumberland (Cumbria) was first recorded as Kyrkeland c. 1140. [1]
The surname Kirtlend was first found in Cumberland, at Kirkland, a township, in the parish and union of Garstang, hundred of Amounderness as Homines de Kyrkelaund, recorded there during the reign of Edward I. [2] Later the parish of Kirkland in Lancashire was another family seat. "After the lapse of a century, it belonged to William de Kirkland, whose name was derived from his residence, and who died in 1363." [3] As one would expect having a close proximity to Scotland, Johannes filius John de Kyrkeland held land in the territory of Gordon, c. 1280 and later William de Kyrkland was burgess of Glasgow, 1424. Again in Glasgow, listed there was Alan de Kyrklande (1463) and John de Kirkland (1471.) [4]
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kirtlend research. Another 108 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1280, 1585, 1586, 1790 and are included under the topic Early Kirtlend History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Spelling and translation were hardly exact sciences in Medieval Scotland. Sound, rather than any set of rules, was the basis for spellings, so one name was often spelled different ways even within a single document. Spelling variations are thus an extremely common occurrence in Medieval Scottish names. Kirtlend has been spelled Kirkland, Kirkeland, Kirtland and others.
More information is included under the topic Early Kirtlend Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Some of the Kirtlend family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 50 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Such hard times forced many to leave their homeland in search of opportunity across the Atlantic. Many of these families settled along the east coast of North America in communities that would become the backbones of the young nations of the United States and Canada. The ancestors of many of these families have rediscovered their roots in the 20th century through the establishment of Clan societies and other patriotic Scottish organizations. Among them: Phillips and Nathaniel Kirkland settled in Lynn Massachusetts in 1635; John Kirkland settled in New Jersey in 1685; Charles and George Kirkland both arrived in Philadelphia in 1813 and 1832 respectively..