Surname Kilfedder - Meaning and Origin
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Kilfedder: What does the surname Kilfedder mean?
The surname Kilfedder, sometimes spelled Killfedder, is an Ulster Scots name from Northern Ireland. It is most commonly found in Counties Down and Antrim, two of the six counties that make up the region. The name is derived from the Gaelic words ‘cill’, meaning ‘church’, and ‘feidir’, meaning ‘pious’ or ‘holy’. Put together, its literal meaning is 'church dweller’.
The Kilfedders were a landowning family, and historical records suggest they were originally part of the MacDonnell dynasty from the 17th century. It is believed that the family obtained their lands in County Down in 1689, when landowners from other parts of Ulster were encouraged to settle there by William of Orange. The family then became the many of the towns and villages of the area, including Kilfedder, Dunsinane, Denny, Killead, and Carnalbanagh.
Over the centuries, Kilfedders have spread out of their traditional homeland, across the British Isles and into the United States. While the origins of the name and family may be traced back to 11th century Ireland, the surname itself has become more geographically widespread.
Today, Kilfedders can trace their lineage to a wide variety of occupations including banking, entrepreneurship, engineering, politics, and military service. The Kilfedder name is still found across Ulster today and associated with business endeavors, philanthropy, and religious endeavors in the community.
Order DNA origin analysisKilfedder: Where does the name Kilfedder come from?
The last name Kilfedder is associated with the Ulster-Scots of Northern Ireland but is also common in Australia, New Zealand and the United States.
In Northern Ireland, Kilfedder is particularly common in counties Antrim and Down. It is believed the Kilfedder family originated from the Scottish Border area in the late 1600s before settling in the Antrim and Down area in the early 1700's.
In Australia, Kilfedder has resulted from recent Irish emigration. It is most commonly found in the states of New South Wales and Victoria, as well as the Australian Capital Territory.
As for New Zealand, Kilfedder is also a result of recent Irish emigration, This is particularly concentrated in the city of Auckland, although there is also a presence throughout the rest of the country.
In the United States, this last name is also associated with the Irish immigration seen during the 19th century. This is especially large in the following states: New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, California, Maryland and Illinois.
Due to recent emigration from Northern Ireland, the last name Kilfedder can be found in many countries worldwide and is most widespread in Northern Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and the United States.
Variations of the surname Kilfedder
Kilfedder is a surname of English origin. The name is derived from the Old English “cylfeoreda”, which was a term used to describe a low wall built for the purpose of keeping livestock from wandering off. In modern usage, the surname Kilfedder may be spelled in multiple ways, including Kelfedder, Kilfeddar, Kelfeddar, and Kelfedder.
The name Kilfedder is associated with at least two distinct families, one from Scotland and the other from Northern Ireland. Both kilfedders and kelfedders trace their ancestry to the town of Kilfedder, in North Ayrshire, Scotland which is thought to have been established as early as 1439. The earliest references to the submit surname Kilfedder come from the 1600s.
Kilfedders from Northern Ireland likely trace their ancestry to families who migrated from Scotland to Ulster during the Plantation period of the 17th century. The Kilfedders of Ireland are thought to have originally settled in the County Down area of Northern Ireland.
Various spelling variants of the Kilfedder name may also be found in other countries. In Germany, for instance, the spellings Kelfedder, Kilfeder and Kelfer are all fairly common. In the US, particularly in Pennsylvania, the Kilfedder surname may be spelled as Kelfeder, Kelvedder or Kelvander.
In conclusion, the surname Kilfedder can be spelled multiple ways and has been used in many countries, in both its original and variant spellings.
Famous people with the name Kilfedder
- John Kilfedder: Northern Irish politician
- Edward Kilfedder: former mayor of North Down
- Charlie Kilfedder: Irish musician and flutist
- Hugh Kilfedder: Northern Irish politician
- Mary Kilfedder: Canadian trade union economist and leader
- Barbara Kilfedder: British actress, writer and director
- Peter Kilfedder: British businessman and entrepreneur
- Joe Kilfedder: British actor
- Kevin Kilfedder: Canadian visual effects artist
- Jessie Kilfedder: British author