Killam is an English habitational surname with geographic roots reaching back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to be an habitational name derived from the village of Kilham in the East Riding of Yorkshire, which means "kiln homestead", from Old English cyln ("kiln") and hām ("homestead, village") — a settlement associated with lime-burning or pottery. History and Origins The name Kilham is first recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Chilham, evolving over time through spelling variations to settle as Killam by the modern period. In the Middle Ages, surnames like Killam were locative in nature—describing where a family lived, worked, or came from. The process of transferring place name to surname accelerated after the Norman Conquest when communities became large enough to require distinctive identifications. Notable Bearers The name spread to Canada through pioneers from England. Izaak Walton Killam (1885–1955) built a massive fortune in finance and pulp and paper, becoming one of Canada’s wealthiest men. His wife Dorothy J. Killam (1900–1965) established the Killam Trust, which awards myriad academic prizes and scholarships in Canadian universities. Albert Clements Killam (1849–1908) served as a justice of the Supreme Court of Canada. Other prominent figures include Canada’s first pharmacologist Eva King Killam, artist Mabel Killam, and Taran Killam (b. 1982), an American comedian famous for his work on Saturday Night Live. The name remains concentrated in English-speaking nations, particularly in Canada’s east coast and Maritime provinces. Meaning: "kiln homestead" Origin: English habitational name Type: Surname Regions: United Kingdom, Canada, United States