Kirby
A common English surname meaning “church settlement” or “village by a church.”
The #633 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 5,742 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Kirby comes from a place-name made from Old Norse kirkja or Old English cirice, both meaning “church,” plus the Old Norse by, meaning “farmstead,” “village,” or “settlement.” The literal sense is therefore “church village” or “settlement by the church.” It is a classic northern English place-name element that later became a hereditary surname.
History
The surname arose independently from several English places named Kirby or Kirkby, especially in the north and Midlands. Historical surname books treat Kirby as a frequent locational name, and related spellings such as Kirkby and Kerby reflect the same origin. It spread widely in England and later to Ireland and North America through migration.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The place-name element -by in Kirby is the same one found in many names of Scandinavian origin, like Grimsby and Selby.
From the historical record
“Venn for Fcnn : JOHK ATTE Venne, CO. Sonu., I Edw. Ill, Kirby^s Quest, p. 94. Vowler for Fowler : Thomas le Vowelar, co. Soms., t Edw. Ill, ibid., p. 256. Vox for Fox :”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with special American instances