NameCensus.

UK surname

Carrie

A surname derived from the French word for a road or path.

In the 1881 census there were 511 people recorded with the Carrie surname, ranking it #6,667 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 560, ranked #9,165, down from #6,667 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Arbroath and St. Vigeans and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Coupar Angus and Meigle, Selby and South Angus.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Carrie is 772 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 9.6%.

1881 census count

511

Ranked #6,667

Modern count

560

2016, ranked #9,165

Peak year

1901

772 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Carrie had 511 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,667 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 560 in 2016, ranked #9,165.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 772 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Carrie surname distribution map

The map shows where the Carrie surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Carrie surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Carrie over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 390 #6,155
1861 historical 561 #4,697
1881 historical 511 #6,667
1891 historical 753 #5,289
1901 historical 772 #5,804
1911 historical 255 #12,719
1997 modern 453 #10,015
1998 modern 484 #9,841
1999 modern 485 #9,900
2000 modern 517 #9,384
2001 modern 498 #9,498
2002 modern 506 #9,545
2003 modern 515 #9,288
2004 modern 525 #9,184
2005 modern 516 #9,236
2006 modern 527 #9,106
2007 modern 517 #9,331
2008 modern 515 #9,430
2009 modern 541 #9,279
2010 modern 543 #9,443
2011 modern 523 #9,634
2012 modern 530 #9,445
2013 modern 544 #9,420
2014 modern 553 #9,343
2015 modern 561 #9,153
2016 modern 560 #9,165

Geography

Back to top

Where Carries are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Arbroath and St. Vigeans, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Coupar Angus and Meigle, Selby, South Angus, West Lindsey and Blackburn with Darwen. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Arbroath and St. Vigeans Forfar
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Coupar Angus and Meigle Perth and Kinross
2 Selby 004 Selby
3 South Angus Angus
4 West Lindsey 003 West Lindsey
5 Blackburn with Darwen 006 Blackburn with Darwen

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Carrie

These lists show first names that appear often with the Carrie surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Carrie

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Carrie, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Carrie surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Carrie household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Carrie is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Carrie is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Carrie falls in decile 5 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Carrie is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Carrie, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Carrie

The surname Carrie originated in France, specifically in the Normandy region. It likely emerged during the 11th or 12th century. The name is derived from the Old French word "carie," which means "beloved" or "dear one."

One of the earliest recorded examples of the surname Carrie can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears as "Carie" in this historical document.

In the 13th century, the surname Carrie was particularly prevalent in the Normandy region of France, as evidenced by various local records and historical documents from that era. Some variations in spelling included Carie, Carey, and Carye.

A notable individual bearing the surname Carrie was Sir Robert Carrie, a knight from Normandy who accompanied William the Conqueror during the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. He was granted lands in Oxfordshire for his service.

Another prominent figure was John Carrie (1545-1613), an English politician and Member of Parliament who served during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, the Carrie surname gained recognition through the works of Thomas Carrie (1598-1672), an English philosopher and author known for his treatises on natural philosophy and theology.

The 18th century saw the rise of William Carrie (1725-1798), a Scottish merchant and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the city of Glasgow, including the establishment of the Carrie Library.

In the 19th century, the surname Carrie was associated with the famous American writer and novelist, Mary Carrie (1864-1924), whose works explored themes of feminism and social justice.

Throughout its history, the surname Carrie has been linked to various place names, such as Carrie-sur-Seine in France and Carrie County in North Carolina, USA. These place names often derived from the name of a prominent local family bearing the Carrie surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Carrie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Carrie surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Angus leads with 301 Carries recorded in 1881 and an index of 65.57x.

County Total Index
Angus 301 65.57x
Lancashire 34 0.58x
Lanarkshire 22 1.37x
Roxburghshire 17 18.94x
Middlesex 16 0.32x
Midlothian 14 2.11x
Cumberland 13 3.05x
Kincardineshire 12 19.89x
Selkirkshire 12 26.77x
Fife 9 3.07x
Ayrshire 7 1.89x
Clackmannanshire 7 17.11x
Hampshire 4 0.39x
Inverness-shire 4 2.70x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.60x
Sussex 4 0.48x
Argyllshire 3 2.17x
Channel Islands 3 2.04x
Dumfriesshire 3 2.74x
Perthshire 3 1.35x
Durham 2 0.14x
Leicestershire 2 0.36x
Northumberland 2 0.27x
Suffolk 2 0.33x
Yorkshire 2 0.04x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.22x
Devon 1 0.10x
Kent 1 0.06x
Renfrewshire 1 0.26x
Royal Navy 1 1.69x
Staffordshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Vigeans in Angus leads with 106 Carries recorded in 1881 and an index of 427.76x.

Place Total Index
St Vigeans 106 427.76x
Arbroath 63 414.20x
Dundee 51 29.76x
Kirriemuir 17 150.04x
Galashiels 12 72.42x
Liff Benvie 12 17.22x
Lilliesleaf 12 983.61x
Little Bolton 12 15.87x
Arbirlot 10 714.29x
Fettercairn 10 389.11x
Govan 10 2.52x
Barry 9 163.34x
Forfar 9 36.20x
Great Bolton 9 11.56x
Mains 8 205.13x
Alloa 7 35.26x
Kinnel 7 588.24x
Riccarton Hurlford 7 107.69x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 6 2.25x
Glasgow 6 2.11x
Holme Abbey 5 314.47x
Cockermouth 4 44.54x
Everton 4 2.13x
North Leith 4 13.02x
Nottingham St Mary 4 2.32x
Paddington London 4 2.20x
South Leith 4 5.35x
South Uist 4 38.76x
Barony 3 0.74x
Bowness 3 181.82x
Dumfries 3 27.78x
Islington London 3 0.62x
Kilchoman 3 69.28x
Kirkcaldy 3 20.62x
Portsea 3 1.51x
Roxburgh 3 174.42x
St Pancras London 3 0.75x
St Peter Port 3 11.05x
Bervie 2 55.87x
Brighton 2 1.19x
Cameron 2 117.65x
Clerkenwell London 2 1.71x
Collessie 2 59.17x
Craig 2 45.15x
Cupar 2 15.67x
Haigh 2 97.56x
Lavenham 2 63.29x
Leicester St Mary 2 4.51x
Montrose 2 7.19x
Murroes 2 156.25x
Poplar London 2 2.14x
Toxteth Park 2 1.00x
Trotton 2 289.86x
Ash Next Ridley 1 93.46x
Barrow In Furness 1 1.25x
Brightside Bierlow 1 1.04x
Dalziel 1 5.80x
Droxford 1 25.77x
Dunblane 1 18.80x
Gateshead 1 0.91x
Kensington London 1 0.36x
Lesmahagow 1 5.90x
Liverpool 1 0.28x
Melrose 1 12.89x
Minto 1 136.99x
Monifieth 1 6.17x
Moss Side 1 3.23x
Newcastle On Tyne 1 126.58x
Newcastle On Tyne St 1 2.62x
Paignton 1 12.74x
Scarborough 1 2.24x
St George Hanover Square 1 1.15x
Stoke Upon Trent 1 0.56x
Stranton 1 2.01x
Strathmartine 1 49.02x
Tarves 1 23.04x
Upper Denton 1 384.62x
Walmersley Cum 1 10.64x
West Greenock 1 1.45x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Carrie surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 8
Margaret 7
Elizabeth 6
Ellen 4
Eliza 3
Jane 3
Sarah 3
Alice 2
Charlotte 2
Agnes 1
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Ann 1
Annie 1
Eleanor 1
Elizth. 1
Eugenie 1
Hannah 1
Isabella 1
Janet 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
Lilian 1
Lisa 1
M.A. 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Rebecca 1
Rose 1
Ruth 1
Susan 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Carrie surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 9
George 4
William 3
Joseph 2
Albert 1
Alexr. 1
Andrew 1
David 1
Denis 1
Frederick 1
Geo. 1
Gustave 1
Jackson 1
Paul 1
Peter 1
Thomas 1

FAQ

Carrie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Carrie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 511 people were recorded with the Carrie surname. That placed it at #6,667 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Carrie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 560 in 2016. That gives Carrie a modern rank of #9,165.

What does the Carrie surname mean?

A surname derived from the French word for a road or path.

What does the Carrie map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Carrie bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.