The Kingston surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 7,033 people carried this name — #4,998 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 42,000 people counted. That is up 10% from 6,395 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Kingston surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a local name, from where the family lived: ‘of Kingston’.

An early record he cites: Peter de Kyngeston, London, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

His entry covers Kingston and Kingstone.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 454 · public domain.

In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 40 births for the Kingston name in 1890.

Most were registered in Munster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 1,800 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. The Registrar-General’s note on the name: “37 in Cork and 3 in Dublin.”

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born, 1890

Munster 37
Leinster 3

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Kingston was found among the farmers of Northamptonshire: 20 in every 10,000.

Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Northamptonshire 20

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In print

Kingston in American newspapers,
1837–1916.

Newspaper page from Evening Journal carrying the name Kingston
Evening Journal 1909-08-19
Newspaper page from The Columbia Democrat carrying the name Kingston
The Columbia Democrat 1837-07-29
Newspaper page from Tulsa Daily World carrying the name Kingston
Tulsa Daily World 1916-07-09

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 1,324 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Kingston in Australian newspapers,
1830s–2000s.

157,922 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Kingston. The most, 51,526, date from the 1900s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in South Australia, at 2.8 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

South Australia 53,842
New South Wales 33,482
Queensland 26,429
Victoria 22,920
Western Australia 12,260
Tasmania 8,006
ACT (Canberra) 708
Northern Territory 152

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Kingston.

Who carried it

People named Kingston,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Richard Kingston d. 1418 · priest
  • Kevin Kingston d. 1977 · basketball player
  • Edith Ellen Kingston d. 1936
  • Henry Kingston d. 1843
  • Mary Kingston d. 1847
  • Caroline Kingston d. 1856

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Kingston,
in the records of 6 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States1,201 records

1,201 records of the Kingston name in the United States
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 338
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 273
  • Other U.S. records 590
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Thomas Lloyd Kingston

    Born 1948; from St Paul, Minnesota. U.S. Marine Corps, mortarman; killed in action 1968 in Quang Tri, South Vietnam. Buried at Fort Snelling National Cemetery, Minnesota.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Robert R. Kingston

    Born 1922 in New York. Enlisted 1942 at New York City; shipping clerk from Kings County. U.S. Army Air Forces veteran of World War II; died 1971, buried at Long Island National Cemetery, New York.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Katie Kingston

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the Teutonic from Liverpool, aged 30; servant. From Kinsale, Ireland; bound for Brooklyn.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 1,201 records for Kingston in the United States.

Counts: NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · Ramsey County, Minnesota (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia1,591 records

1,591 records of the Kingston name in Australia
  • Tasmanian Names Index 670
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 508
  • Other Australian records 413
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Emily Kingston

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Mary Anne, sailing from Dublin in 1840. Native of Dublin, Dublin. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1846.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Charles Kingston

    Died 1882 in Sorell, Tasmania, aged 69. Will registered in Tasmania in 1882.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Lizzie Kingston

    Arrived in Victoria in 1886 aboard the Lusitania, aged 16; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 1,591 records for Kingston in Australia.

Counts: Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada90 records

90 records of the Kingston name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 45
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 14
  • Other Canadian records 31
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Garrett Cotor Kingston

    Killed in the Halifax Explosion of 1917, aged 72; buried at Dartmouth.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Thos Kingston

    Came to Ontario in 1871 aboard the Caspian, landing at Quebec, bound for St. Catharines, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Eva Marion Kingston

    Buried in 1992 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 87.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.

Showing 3 of 90 records for Kingston in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

New Zealand37 records

37 records of the Kingston name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 35
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 1
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Martha Kingston

    Buried in 1926 at Akaroa Anglican Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury, aged 56.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Allan Lawrence Kingston

    Died 1999, aged 69; buried at Fairhall Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record George Hudson Kingston

    Buried in 1976 at Buffalo Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 75.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 37 records for Kingston in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

United Kingdom22 records

22 records of the Kingston name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 15
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 6
  • Welsh wills index cards 1
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Matthew Kingston

    Will proved in 1940; of Milford Haven.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Maria Kingston

    Buried in 1815 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 24.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record H. Kingston

    Corporal, North Staffordshire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 22 records for Kingston in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Netherlands6 records

6 records of the Kingston name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 3
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 2
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 1
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Sara Kingston

    Died 1857 in Utrecht, aged 63.

    Open Archives, Het Utrechts Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Johannes Kingston

    Married in 1665 in Utrecht.

    Open Archives, Het Utrechts Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Civil record Geertruijt Kingston

    Baptised in 1644 in Utrecht.

    Open Archives, Het Utrechts Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 6 records for Kingston in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Kingston.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Kingston is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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