Surname Killie - Meaning and Origin
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Killie: What does the surname Killie mean?
The surname Killie is derived from the Anglo-Scottish old English and Gaelic cultures. It is an occupational surname derived from the term “kyllye” meaning a “Holy man or church employee” or “reverend” and from the Gaelic term “cill” which meant “a church or a churchyard”.
The surname Killie first appeared in records during the Middle Ages. The earliest known reference to the name dates back to 1130 in the United Kingdom when Simon de Killi, a tenant of the Lord of the manor of Bela in Yorkshire, was recorded in the Subsidy Roll. Later records refer to Robert Killie of Kent in 1250 and Adam Kylly of Buckinghamshire in 1273.
The surname has been found in various cultures and countries including England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Norway, France, Italy, and the United States. In Scotland, the surname Killie is most commonly found in East Lothian, while in Ireland it is mostly found in Clare and Cork provinces. In England the Killie surname is most commonly found in Huntingdonshire, Northamptonshire, and Kent counties. In Norway, the Killie family can be found in the regions of Hordaland, Vestlandet, and Møre og Romsdal.
Today the Killie surname continues to be found through a variety of branches of the original family. The Killie surname is often misspelled as Kille, Kyllie, Kylly, and Kilie, and so other families stemming from the same surname may be difficult to trace. The Killie name is a relic of England’s past and continues to live on today.
Order DNA origin analysisKillie: Where does the name Killie come from?
The last name Killie is most commonly found in Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. The name is derived from the Gaelic word "Cille," which translates to "church." Historically, the name Killie was a common name in Scotland, with references dating back to 1200. In the 1700s and 1800s, it was known as a family name among the upper classes. Killie was also a popular name for the smaller landholders of Scotland, and variations of the name are still recorded today.
Killie is a relatively uncommon name elsewhere in the world, though it can be found. In the United States, Killie has been found primarily in the western states, with records of people using the name in Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana. It also appears with some regularity in Canada, mostly in the Prairies region. There are also reports of Killie being used as a surname in Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.
Overall, the last name Killie is still most common in Scotland, Ireland, and Wales today, especially among people of Scottish ancestry. As many Scottish people have emigrated to different countries around the world, the name Killie is slowly spreading. While still relatively rare, Killie is certainly a name with a long history that continues to be used around the world.
Variations of the surname Killie
The surname Killie has many variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin.
Killie can be spelt Kille, Kelli, Kille, Kylie and Killey. It is an anglicised form of the Irish surname Mac Giolla Eoin, which is derived from the Irish words “mac” meaning son, “giolla” meaning servant and “eoin” meaning John. This surname is also found in Scotland as a sept of Clan Lamont.
Variants include Gilley, Gille, Gilli, Gillie, Kyllie, Kille, Gillery, Kellie, Kylie, Kille, MacGillie, Gillie and Gilly.
Spellings include Mac Gille, Gille, Gillegham, Gillen, Kyllyan, Killan, MacGille and MacGilla.
Surnames of a similar origin include McElhinney, Gilleece, Gilhooly, Gilfillan, Gillaspie, Gillece, Gilmour and Gilmoury.
The term “Killie” is also found in Scotland as a nickname for someone living in or near a churchyard or graveyard. The name Killie is derived from the Old English word “killh”, meaning “a place of burial”.
Famous people with the name Killie
- George Killie: Scottish footballer who represented clubs including Ayr United, Hibernian, Motherwell and Kilmarnock, where he had the longest spell of his playing career.
- William Killie: composer who scored a number of television series including The Odd Couple, Laverne & Shirley and Love, American Style.
- Miyamoto Musashi: legendary samurai of Japan during the Warring States period. His real name was Shinmen Musashi No Kami Fujiwara no Genshin, but he is also known as Killie Miyamoto and is often referred to by his sobriquet, “The Sword Saint”.
- Zach Killie: MMA fighter and kick boxer who competed in WEC 43, competing against Clay Guida.
- Walt Killie: Major League Baseball pitcher who made his debut with the Philadelphia Athletics.
- Devin Killie: NFL linebacker who went undrafted in the 2009 NFL Draft and was the signing of the Kansas City Chiefs, but was released after playing in two games.
- J. Allen Killie: journalist and author who wrote The New Red Badgers of Oklahoma and The OSS in Burma: Jungle War Against the Japanese.
- Jameson Killie: world well-known author, painter and sculptor who wrote The Awakening: Revelations of the Unseen and Blade of the Warrior: Volume I.
- Jacob Killie: Scottish singer and songwriter who has released singles such as “Ain’t No Reason” and “Savior”.
- British Killie: singer, guitarist and songwriter who released his debut album Broken Dreams in 2001, which was followed by his second album Echoes From the Edge in 2005.