NameCensus.

UK surname

Carrier

An occupational surname referring to one who transports goods, often by cart or wagon.

In the 1881 census there were 487 people recorded with the Carrier surname, ranking it #6,914 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 884, ranked #6,377, up from #6,914 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Sedgley and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wolverhampton, Stroud and Erewash.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Carrier is 947 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 81.5%.

1881 census count

487

Ranked #6,914

Modern count

884

2016, ranked #6,377

Peak year

1999

947 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Carrier had 487 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,914 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 884 in 2016, ranked #6,377.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 774 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Carrier surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Carrier surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Carrier 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 393 #6,118
1861 historical 398 #6,441
1881 historical 487 #6,914
1891 historical 595 #6,431
1901 historical 695 #6,324
1911 historical 774 #5,608
1997 modern 888 #6,026
1998 modern 920 #6,048
1999 modern 947 #5,962
2000 modern 931 #6,027
2001 modern 913 #6,021
2002 modern 923 #6,079
2003 modern 906 #6,055
2004 modern 893 #6,132
2005 modern 859 #6,259
2006 modern 862 #6,245
2007 modern 884 #6,169
2008 modern 891 #6,172
2009 modern 915 #6,175
2010 modern 944 #6,151
2011 modern 932 #6,157
2012 modern 907 #6,216
2013 modern 912 #6,289
2014 modern 907 #6,337
2015 modern 893 #6,362
2016 modern 884 #6,377

Geography

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Where Carriers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Sedgley, London parishes and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wolverhampton, Stroud, Erewash, Kingston upon Hull and Selby. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Sedgley Staffordshire
3 London parishes London 1
4 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wolverhampton 004 Wolverhampton
2 Stroud 014 Stroud
3 Erewash 003 Erewash
4 Kingston upon Hull 024 Kingston upon Hull, City of
5 Selby 005 Selby

Forenames

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First names often paired with Carrier

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Carrier

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Carrier, 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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Carrier surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Carrier household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Carrier is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

These primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Carrier is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Carrier 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 Carrier is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Carrier

The surname Carrier is of French origin, derived from the Old French word "carrier" which means "carter" or "cart driver". The name first appeared in the 12th century in the region of Normandy, France.

In medieval times, the surname Carrier was given to those who worked as cart drivers, transporting goods and materials from one place to another. It was an occupational surname, reflecting the trade or profession of the initial bearer.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Carrier can be found in the Rotuli Hundredorum, a census-like record compiled in England in the late 13th century. This document mentions a John le Carrier, indicating the presence of the name in England during that period.

The Carrier surname is also mentioned in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landowners and tenants in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This suggests that individuals with this surname may have descended from Norman settlers who arrived in England after the Norman Conquest in 1066.

In the 14th century, a notable figure with the surname Carrier was Jean Carrier, a French merchant and trader who established trade routes between France and the Mediterranean region. He was born in Marseille in 1325 and died in 1395.

During the 16th century, the Carrier family played a significant role in the French Wars of Religion. Jacques Carrier (1520-1589) was a Huguenot leader and military commander who fought alongside the Protestant forces against the Catholic League.

In the 17th century, the name Carrier gained prominence in England with the birth of Thomas Carrier (1632-1684), a renowned architect and stonemason who was involved in the construction of several notable buildings, including St. Paul's Cathedral in London.

Another notable figure with the surname Carrier was Marie-Anne Carrier (1775-1825), a French botanist and naturalist who made significant contributions to the study of plants and their classification. She was born in Paris and spent much of her life traveling and collecting plant specimens.

In the 19th century, the Carrier surname was associated with Pierre Carrier (1812-1890), a French engineer who played a crucial role in the development of modern refrigeration systems. His innovations in the field of air conditioning and refrigeration had a lasting impact on industrial and residential cooling technologies.

These are just a few examples of individuals with the surname Carrier who have made their mark throughout history, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and achievements associated with this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Carrier families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Carrier 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. Derbyshire leads with 64 Carriers recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.68x.

County Total Index
Derbyshire 64 8.68x
Staffordshire 62 3.90x
Kent 45 2.80x
Yorkshire 39 0.84x
Wiltshire 38 9.12x
Middlesex 22 0.47x
Cambridgeshire 19 6.37x
Lancashire 18 0.32x
Nottinghamshire 18 2.83x
Warwickshire 18 1.51x
Hampshire 17 1.76x
Bedfordshire 16 6.56x
Somerset 16 2.11x
Norfolk 14 1.93x
Worcestershire 14 2.28x
Surrey 12 0.52x
Huntingdonshire 8 8.55x
Rutland 8 23.13x
Gloucestershire 7 0.76x
Shropshire 6 1.47x
Perthshire 4 1.89x
Devon 3 0.31x
Sussex 3 0.38x
Herefordshire 2 1.04x
Lanarkshire 2 0.13x
Suffolk 2 0.35x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.23x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.35x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.52x
Cheshire 1 0.10x
Essex 1 0.11x
Lincolnshire 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ilkeston in Derbyshire leads with 41 Carriers recorded in 1881 and an index of 198.26x.

Place Total Index
Ilkeston 41 198.26x
Sedgley 19 32.17x
Bradford On Avon 18 134.93x
Basford 14 47.83x
Kingswinford 13 22.51x
Swavesey 13 680.63x
Horningsham 12 916.03x
Bedminster 11 15.43x
Birmingham 10 2.53x
Great Yarmouth 10 16.66x
Sheffield 9 6.05x
Woolwich 9 15.15x
Aston 8 2.45x
Greetham 8 851.06x
Long Eaton 8 82.14x
Oldbury 8 26.43x
St George In East London 8 18.05x
Upper Penn 8 201.01x
Willenhall 8 26.85x
Wolverhampton 8 6.54x
Doddington 7 752.69x
Nether Hallam 7 11.08x
Portsea 7 3.70x
Teynham 7 241.38x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 6 13.79x
Bedford St Peter 6 94.64x
Great Staughton 6 331.49x
Brightside Bierlow 5 5.46x
Dudley 5 6.68x
Holdenhurst 5 19.74x
Ilkestonderbypart 5 231.48x
Islington London 5 1.09x
Leeds 5 1.90x
Lynsted 5 240.38x
Milton In Milton 5 73.21x
South Stoneham 5 23.87x
Swindon 5 15.47x
Wellington 5 21.85x
Bath St James 4 50.57x
Bury 4 6.26x
Chorlton Cum Hardy 4 107.82x
Cottenham 4 100.76x
Dover St Mary Virgin 4 25.71x
Epsom 4 35.75x
Kempston 4 72.20x
Kirk Hallam 4 3076.92x
Matlock 4 40.40x
Merton 4 1481.48x
Norton Canes 4 68.97x
Perth East Church 4 20.06x
Bristol St George 3 7.02x
Charlton Next Woolwich 3 17.89x
Clifton 3 6.42x
Kirkdale 3 3.19x
Melmerby In Ripon 3 612.24x
Oving 3 111.94x
Salisbury St Thomas 3 90.91x
Shelf 3 67.26x
St George Hanover Square 3 3.61x
Walton On Hill 3 9.90x
Bedford St Paul 2 11.95x
Chilwell 2 118.34x
Gorbals 2 22.12x
Gorleston 2 13.72x
Hampstead London 2 2.73x
Huntingdon St Mary 2 85.47x
Leominster 2 25.00x
Liverpool 2 0.59x
Luton 2 4.74x
Potton 2 61.73x
Sittingbourne 2 15.76x
Alfreton 1 4.46x
Alveley 1 62.11x
Bulwell 1 7.24x
Burslem 1 2.19x
Crediton 1 10.76x
Ewell 1 20.62x
Hammersmith London 1 0.86x
Stoke Newington London 1 2.72x
Tranmere 1 2.62x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 23
Sarah 18
Elizabeth 14
Ann 10
Annie 10
Jane 10
Eliza 7
Ellen 7
Alice 6
Emily 6
Charlotte 5
Esther 5
Caroline 4
Emma 4
Florence 4
Lucy 4
Ada 3
Fanny 3
Harriet 3
Martha 3
Rebecca 3
Agnes 2
Amy 2
Bertha 2
Catherine 2
Frances 2
Georgina 2
Julia 2
Kate 2
Louisa 2
Matilda 2
May 2
Minnie 2
Phoebe 2
Priscilla 2
Rachel 2
Rosa 2
Ruth 2
Bessie 1
Blanche 1
Elizebth. 1
Elizth. 1
Elizth.A. 1
Elsie 1
Hester 1
Imelda 1
Jemma 1
Jenny 1
Jessie 1
Ursula 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 40
John 21
James 18
Henry 16
Thomas 13
George 12
Joseph 12
Alfred 9
Charles 7
Samuel 6
Arthur 5
Robert 5
Frederick 4
Harry 4
Amos 3
Benjamin 3
Edward 3
Frank 3
Thos. 3
Wilfred 3
David 2
Egbert 2
Ernest 2
Fredk. 2
Jos. 2
Percy 2
Walter 2
Wm. 2
Aurther 1
Benm. 1
Bernard 1
Bradfield 1
Edwin 1
Enoch 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Jas. 1
Jno. 1
Josiah 1
Laurence 1
Levi 1
Newman 1
Oswald 1
Reginald 1
Richard 1
Saml. 1
Woolf 1

FAQ

Carrier surname: questions and answers

How common was the Carrier surname in 1881?

In 1881, 487 people were recorded with the Carrier surname. That placed it at #6,914 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Carrier surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 884 in 2016. That gives Carrier a modern rank of #6,377.

What does the Carrier surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to one who transports goods, often by cart or wagon.

What does the Carrier map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Carrier 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.