NameCensus.

UK surname

Carry

A surname likely derived from the Old French "carie" meaning "cart" or "wagon".

In the 1881 census there were 226 people recorded with the Carry surname, ranking it #11,889 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 162, ranked #22,512, down from #11,889 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Gateshead and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Leeds, Hazlehead and Brent.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Carry is 979 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 28.3%.

1881 census count

226

Ranked #11,889

Modern count

162

2016, ranked #22,512

Peak year

1861

979 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Carry had 226 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,889 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 162 in 2016, ranked #22,512.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 979 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Carry surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Carry surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Carry 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 322 #7,215
1861 historical 979 #2,841
1881 historical 226 #11,889
1891 historical 560 #6,775
1901 historical 226 #14,006
1911 historical 233 #13,560
1997 modern 108 #25,788
1998 modern 119 #24,918
1999 modern 116 #25,487
2000 modern 119 #25,072
2001 modern 116 #25,089
2002 modern 126 #24,393
2003 modern 120 #24,909
2004 modern 131 #23,756
2005 modern 131 #23,737
2006 modern 120 #25,269
2007 modern 122 #25,353
2008 modern 123 #25,505
2009 modern 127 #25,564
2010 modern 142 #24,352
2011 modern 138 #24,615
2012 modern 140 #24,376
2013 modern 151 #23,529
2014 modern 159 #22,930
2015 modern 157 #22,997
2016 modern 162 #22,512

Geography

Back to top

Where Carrys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Gateshead, Manchester, Birmingham Town: Birmingham and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Leeds, Hazlehead, Brent and Bedford. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Leeds 029 Leeds
2 Leeds 035 Leeds
3 Hazlehead Aberdeen City
4 Brent 034 Brent
5 Bedford 002 Bedford

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Carry

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Carry

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Carry surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Carry 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Carry is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Carry is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Carry falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Carry is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Carry

The surname Carry originated in England, specifically in the northern counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire, during the late medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "carr," which means a rocky or stony place, or a marsh or fen, suggesting that the name may have been initially given to someone who lived near or worked in such a location.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Carry surname can be found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379, where a Robert Cary is listed as a resident of the village of Sowerby. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by the late 14th century.

The name appears to have spread southwards over the following centuries, with records showing individuals bearing the Carry surname in various parts of England. For instance, in the 16th century, a family of Carrys owned a manor house in the village of Hunsdon, Hertfordshire.

One notable early bearer of the Carry surname was William Cary, who was born around 1500 in Bristol, England. He was a prominent merchant and served as the Mayor of Bristol in 1546. Another significant figure was Sir George Cary, who lived from 1555 to 1633 and was a member of the English gentry, serving as the Lord Deputy of Ireland from 1603 to 1604.

In the 17th century, the Carry surname gained further prominence with Sir Henry Cary, 1st Viscount Falkland (1575-1633), who was a prominent English politician and philosopher during the reign of King James I. His son, Lucius Cary, 2nd Viscount Falkland (1610-1643), was a notable English poet and military officer who fought and died in the English Civil War.

Another notable bearer of the Carry surname was Anne Cary, who lived from 1615 to 1671 and was an English poet and writer, known for her influential work "The Tragedy of Mariam, the Fair Queen of Jewry." Her work is considered one of the earliest examples of English Renaissance drama written by a woman.

Over time, the Carry surname has seen various spelling variations, including Cary, Carrie, Carey, and Caree, reflecting the fluid nature of surname spellings in earlier periods of history. However, the core meaning and origins of the name remain rooted in the northern English counties where it first emerged.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Carry families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Carry 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. Middlesex leads with 37 Carrys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.67x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 37 1.67x
Lancashire 36 1.37x
Yorkshire 17 0.77x
Angus 16 7.80x
Surrey 13 1.21x
Durham 11 1.67x
Warwickshire 11 1.97x
Aberdeenshire 8 3.90x
Kent 8 1.06x
Sussex 8 2.14x
Dunbartonshire 7 11.76x
Lanarkshire 7 0.98x
Devon 6 1.30x
Norfolk 5 1.47x
Somerset 5 1.40x
Wiltshire 5 2.55x
Nottinghamshire 4 1.34x
Essex 3 0.69x
Gloucestershire 3 0.69x
Cheshire 2 0.41x
Cumberland 2 1.05x
Royal Navy 2 7.58x
Staffordshire 2 0.27x
Cornwall 1 0.40x
Glamorgan 1 0.26x
Hampshire 1 0.22x
Hertfordshire 1 0.66x
Inverness-shire 1 1.51x
Lincolnshire 1 0.28x
Oxfordshire 1 0.73x
Perthshire 1 1.01x
Sutherland 1 5.87x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dundee in Angus leads with 13 Carrys recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.98x.

Place Total Index
Dundee 13 16.98x
St Pancras London 10 5.61x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 8 20.85x
Salford 8 10.35x
Brightside Bierlow 7 16.27x
Wigan 7 19.07x
Aston 6 3.90x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 6 21.03x
Ashton Under Lyne 5 8.71x
Birmingham 5 2.69x
Camberwell 5 3.54x
Fisherton Anger 5 138.12x
Hetton Le Hole 5 59.88x
Norwich St James 5 187.27x
Paddington London 5 6.14x
Bonhill 4 41.88x
Brighton 4 5.31x
Clapham 4 14.45x
East Pennard 4 869.57x
Govan 4 2.26x
Islington London 4 1.86x
Nottingham St Mary 4 5.18x
Openshaw 4 32.52x
St George In East London 4 19.20x
Woolwich 4 14.33x
Barony 3 1.66x
Cardross 3 42.02x
Henbury 3 141.51x
Much Woolton 3 84.03x
Normanby In 3 51.11x
Sedlescombe 3 612.24x
St Budeaux 3 209.79x
Twickenham 3 31.61x
Bromley 2 17.38x
Chelsea London 2 3.00x
East Stonehouse 2 22.03x
Hornsey 2 7.14x
Hulme 2 3.65x
Liff Benvie 2 6.42x
Oldham 2 2.36x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 4.49x
Audley Talk O Th Hill 1 74.07x
Batley 1 4.80x
Bermondsey 1 1.52x
Birkenhead 1 2.57x
Durness 1 133.33x
Ealing 1 5.05x
Eccleshill 1 18.73x
Hadleigh 1 285.71x
Hammersmith London 1 1.83x
Harborne 1 4.18x
High Leigh 1 156.25x
Horton In Bradford 1 2.92x
Kilmersdon 1 56.82x
Kingoldrum 1 344.83x
Lambeth 1 0.52x
Lea Ashton Ingol 1 57.47x
Leeds 1 0.81x
Middlesbrough 1 3.50x
Phillack 1 30.86x
Plymouth St Andrew 1 2.82x
Portree 1 40.82x
Rattray 1 43.29x
Rickergate 1 24.81x
River 1 208.33x
Shorne 1 149.25x
South Bersted 1 31.55x
Spofforth Cum Stockeld 1 285.71x
St Martin In Fields 1 7.54x
Stanford Le Hope 1 158.73x
Stoke Newington London 1 5.80x
Sunbury 1 37.59x
Warley 1 15.77x
West Ham 1 1.04x
Westleigh 1 16.75x
Westminster St Margaret 1 9.36x
Westville 1 1000.00x
Wigton 1 34.97x
Woodcott 1 1666.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 12
Elizabeth 8
Ellen 7
Catherine 6
Sarah 5
Annie 3
Bridget 3
Charlotte 3
Eliza 3
Alice 2
Ann 2
Anne 2
Eleanor 2
Emma 2
Florence 2
Frances 2
Jane 2
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Alace 1
Amelia 1
Anna 1
Aria 1
Bessie 1
Caroline 1
Cecelia 1
Elizbth 1
Emely 1
F. 1
Grace 1
Helen 1
Hester 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Lilian 1
Lily 1
Louisa 1
Lousia 1
Lydia 1
Margaret 1
Margt. 1
Maria 1
Marianna 1
May 1
Olive 1
Phebe 1
Rose 1
Selina 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 15
John 13
Thomas 11
James 9
Edward 3
Henry 3
Charles 2
Christopher 2
Frank 2
Fred 2
George 2
Patrick 2
Richard 2
A. 1
Albert 1
Andreas 1
Clovis 1
David 1
Edwin 1
Francis 1
Franciss 1
J. 1
Jams 1
Pat 1
Peter 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Valentine 1

FAQ

Carry surname: questions and answers

How common was the Carry surname in 1881?

In 1881, 226 people were recorded with the Carry surname. That placed it at #11,889 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Carry surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 162 in 2016. That gives Carry a modern rank of #22,512.

What does the Carry surname mean?

A surname likely derived from the Old French "carie" meaning "cart" or "wagon".

What does the Carry map show?

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