Was Charlie Kirk Scottish or Irish? Bagpipes played at funeral spark questions

Charlie Kirk’s Arizona funeral featured bagpipers playing ‘Amazing Grace,’ sparking viral talk on his surname’s Scottish origin, meaning “church.”

Updated on: Sep 22, 2025, 24:32:47 IST

By Shamik Banerjee

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Right-wing activist Charlie Kirk's funeral at Glendale Park, Arizona, on Sunday began with a group of bagpipers playing a rendition of 'Amazing Grace' - a popular Christian hymn. The display of Scottish Christian tradition at the funeral sparked questions on the origin of the surname, Kirk.

A photo of Charlie and Erica Kirk at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. (AFP)

Kirk was an American through and through, born as he was in Arlington Heights, Illinois. But his name has Scottish and Northern English origins. As has been viral on social media over the past few days, the word, Kirk, means 'Church' in Scottish.

Here's the video of the bagpipes:

Elon Musk Attends Charlie Kirk's Funeral

All the big names of the conservative movement in the United States were in attendance for the Funeral in Arizona on Sunday. Among the first to arrive was the Tesla Motors and SpaceX CEO, Elon Musk, who was seen seated in attendance even as the memorial was about to begin. Musk posted about his visit to Arizona on X, saying he was 'honored' to be there.

"Every seat in this giant arena that isn’t roped off for security is packed to the ceiling. Honored to be here. All for Charlie Kirk," Musk wrote. He also posted a video of the State Farm, which was packed with attendees ahead of the funeral.

Tulsi Gabbard, Pete Hegseth, JD Vance, and President Donald Trump are some of the other high-profile attendees at the event.

This story being updated.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shamik Banerjee
Shamik is a journalist covering the United States for Hindustan Times. He has more than four years of experience reporting on US politics, sports, and major breaking stories across fast-moving cycles. He previously worked at Times Now and Sportskeeda, building strong newsroom instincts and digital storytelling skills. At HT.com, he focuses on day-to-day coverage of US political developments while also handling high-impact stories that demand speed, accuracy, clarity, and context under pressure. Shamik has extensive experience covering NFL game days over the past two years, coordinating live updates, analysis, and explainers. He is particularly drawn to large news moments such as US elections and the Super Bowl, where he thrives at the news desk working alongside the team. He holds degrees in Media Studies from Jamia Millia Islamia and English Literature from Jadavpur University. Before entering journalism, he briefly worked in digital marketing and political consultancy roles. Currently a Senior Content Producer at HT Digital, he is driven by curiosity, discipline, and a constant desire to explore new and obscure topics. Outside work, he enjoys reading, films, sports, and learning continuously.Read More

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