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Kirkness Family History

Kirkness Name Meaning

from Kirkness (Orkney). The place-name derives from Old Scandinavian kirkja ‘church’ + nes ‘headland promontory’.

Source: The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland, 2016


Similar surnames: Harkness, Likness, Kirkes, Kirkner, Furness, Kress, Kirkley, Harness

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Kirkness family from?

You can see how Kirkness families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kirkness family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Kirkness families were found in and Scotland in 1841. In 1880 there were 4 Kirkness families living in California. This was about 40% of all the recorded Kirkness's in USA. California had the highest population of Kirkness families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kirkness surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Kirkness ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Carpenter was the top reported job for people in the USA named Kirkness. 50% of Kirkness men worked as a Carpenter. .

View Census Data for Kirkness | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Carpenter
    50%
  • New Worker
    50%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Kirkness family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 6,000 census records available for the last name Kirkness. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kirkness census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Kirkness

Passenger Lists

There are 973 immigration records available for the last name Kirkness. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Kirkness immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 556 military records available for the last name Kirkness. For the veterans among your Kirkness ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Kirkness military records

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What is the average Kirkness lifespan?

Between 1966 and 2004, in the United States, Kirkness life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1991, and highest in 1982. The average life expectancy for Kirkness in 1966 was 68, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kirkness

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