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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 1911 there were 24 Kirkness families living in Northwest Territories. This was about 25% of all the recorded Kirkness's in Canada. Northwest Territories had the highest population of Kirkness families in 1911.
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 1921, Farmer and Nil were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Kirkness. 57% of Kirkness men worked as a Farmer and 50% of Kirkness women worked as a Nil. Some less common occupations for Americans named Kirkness were Laborer and Servant. .

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 1921

  • Farmer
    57%
  • Trapper
    22%
  • Logger
    6%
  • Laborer
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Nil
    50%
  • Stenographer
    25%
  • Servant
    25%
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 Canadian 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 Canada, 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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