North English and Scots: topographic name for someone who lived near a church or metonymic occupational name for someone who was employed in one, from Northern Middle English kirk church (Old Norse kirkja).
Variants: Kerk, Kirke, Kyrke; Kirckman, Kirkman.
Cognates: Danish: Kirk. Dutch: Kerk, Verkerk. Low German: Kerk, Kirk. German: Kirch.
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