NameCensus.

UK surname

Cary

Derived from various place names meaning "pleasant stream," or from a Welsh word meaning "love."

In the 1881 census there were 729 people recorded with the Cary surname, ranking it #5,013 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 601, ranked #8,708, down from #5,013 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and St Leonard Shoreditch. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mendip, Bath and North East Somerset and Manchester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cary is 873 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 17.6%.

1881 census count

729

Ranked #5,013

Modern count

601

2016, ranked #8,708

Peak year

1851

873 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cary had 729 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,013 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 601 in 2016, ranked #8,708.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 873 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Cary surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cary surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Cary 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 873 #3,129
1861 historical 848 #3,260
1881 historical 729 #5,013
1891 historical 816 #4,960
1901 historical 737 #6,013
1911 historical 828 #5,331
1997 modern 610 #8,047
1998 modern 637 #8,026
1999 modern 639 #8,067
2000 modern 630 #8,134
2001 modern 596 #8,335
2002 modern 602 #8,442
2003 modern 579 #8,530
2004 modern 568 #8,661
2005 modern 563 #8,650
2006 modern 574 #8,564
2007 modern 568 #8,690
2008 modern 571 #8,720
2009 modern 574 #8,880
2010 modern 577 #9,028
2011 modern 570 #9,019
2012 modern 577 #8,862
2013 modern 583 #8,920
2014 modern 595 #8,857
2015 modern 592 #8,815
2016 modern 601 #8,708

Geography

Back to top

Where Carys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, St Leonard Shoreditch and Barton St David. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Mendip, Bath and North East Somerset, Manchester and Wiltshire. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
4 London parishes London 3
5 Barton St David Somerset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Mendip 010 Mendip
2 Mendip 001 Mendip
3 Bath and North East Somerset 016 Bath and North East Somerset
4 Manchester 003 Manchester
5 Wiltshire 028 Wiltshire

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Cary

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Cary

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Cary, 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 Cary surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Cary 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Cary 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

Cary is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Cary falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Cary 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 Cary, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Cary

The surname Cary originated in England and dates back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "caru" or "caru-weg," meaning "a winding path" or "a rough way." This suggests that the name may have referred to someone who lived near a winding road or path.

Cary is also thought to be a locational surname, meaning it was taken from a place name. One possibility is that it came from the village of Cary in Somerset, which was recorded as "Cari" in the Domesday Book of 1086. This was a survey of lands and properties commissioned by William the Conqueror.

The first recorded instance of the surname Cary appears in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where a John de Cary is mentioned. This suggests that the name was well-established by the 13th century.

In the 14th century, Sir John Cary was a prominent figure who served as a Member of Parliament for Somerset in 1339. He was also a Knight of the Shire and served in the retinue of Edward III during the Hundred Years' War.

Another notable individual with the surname Cary was Sir Robert Cary (1572-1639), who was an English courtier and diplomat during the reigns of Elizabeth I and James I. He played a role in the Gunpowder Plot of 1605 and was later appointed as a Gentleman of the Privy Chamber.

In the literary world, Henry Cary (1772-1844) was a renowned translator best known for his English translation of Dante's Divine Comedy, which was widely acclaimed for its accuracy and poetic style.

Lucius Cary, 2nd Viscount Falkland (1610-1643), was a prominent figure in the English Civil War. He fought on the side of the Royalists and was killed in the Battle of Newbury in 1643.

Another notable individual was Annie Louise Cary (1842-1921), an American opera singer who achieved great success in her career, performing in concerts and operas across the United States and Europe.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Cary families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cary 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 157 Carys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.20x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 157 2.20x
Somerset 137 11.95x
Lancashire 65 0.77x
Surrey 64 1.84x
Yorkshire 46 0.65x
Devon 37 2.50x
Gloucestershire 31 2.22x
Cornwall 28 3.47x
Kent 26 1.07x
Norfolk 22 2.01x
Lincolnshire 13 1.14x
Berkshire 9 1.68x
Warwickshire 9 0.50x
Essex 8 0.57x
Leicestershire 8 1.01x
Wiltshire 8 1.27x
Hampshire 7 0.48x
Shropshire 7 1.14x
Sussex 7 0.58x
Glamorgan 5 0.40x
Ayrshire 3 0.56x
Caernarfonshire 3 1.04x
Cheshire 3 0.19x
Monmouthshire 3 0.58x
Northamptonshire 3 0.45x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.31x
Isle of Man 2 1.51x
Northumberland 2 0.19x
Renfrewshire 2 0.36x
Royal Navy 2 2.36x
Staffordshire 2 0.08x
Westmorland 2 1.28x
Worcestershire 2 0.22x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.22x
Channel Islands 1 0.47x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.52x
Lanarkshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 28 Carys recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.89x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 28 4.89x
Hackney London 25 6.26x
Newton Abbot St Mary 21 168.95x
Paul 18 122.87x
Islington London 16 2.32x
Kensington London 15 3.79x
Lambeth 15 2.42x
Manchester 14 3.68x
Camberwell 13 2.86x
Liverpool 12 2.34x
Farnworth 10 19.75x
Fulham London 10 9.68x
Martock 10 134.23x
Buckland Dinham 9 810.81x
Chedzoy 9 1034.48x
Clifton 9 12.75x
Middlesbrough 9 9.79x
Rotherhithe 9 10.23x
Southwark St George Martyr 9 6.28x
Walcot 9 14.74x
Bow London 8 8.83x
Castle Cary 8 160.32x
Hemington 8 559.44x
Portishead 8 93.90x
Tormoham 8 12.76x
Drayton In Hales 7 55.21x
Gravesend 7 34.03x
Pylle 7 1076.92x
St Giles In Fields London 7 20.04x
Thetford St Peter 7 243.06x
Willesden 7 10.43x
Doncaster 6 11.64x
Holcombe 6 458.02x
Hugglescote 6 51.68x
Hulme 6 3.40x
Landewednack 6 419.58x
Newbury 6 35.05x
Newington 6 2.28x
Newton 6 9.21x
Sheffield 6 2.67x
Shoreditch London 6 1.94x
Westfield 6 234.38x
Cheltenham 5 4.64x
Chiddingstone 5 157.23x
Diss 5 53.30x
Englishcombe 5 393.70x
Greenwich 5 4.41x
Newington 5 25.73x
Norton Sub Hamdon 5 381.68x
Norwich St Michael At 5 78.74x
Poplar London 5 3.72x
Salford 5 2.01x
Warrington 5 4.99x
Berkeley 4 51.48x
Bromley London 4 2.55x
Charlton Mackrell 4 563.38x
Chelsea London 4 1.86x
Falsgrave 4 38.46x
Frithville Fishtoft 4 481.93x
Horfield 4 28.47x
Levenshulme 4 45.98x
Midsomer Norton 4 37.04x
Mile End Old Town London 4 2.64x
Northowram 4 8.08x
Plumstead 4 4.94x
St Austell 4 14.51x
St Marylebone London 4 1.05x
Stogursey 4 129.87x
West Fen 4 506.33x
West Ham 4 1.29x
Batcombe 3 198.68x
Brading 3 15.46x
Bristol St Paul In 3 8.06x
Frimley 3 30.36x
Leeds 3 0.75x
Llanengan 3 86.71x
Llanover 3 17.06x
Minster In Sheppey 3 7.45x
Scarborough 3 4.68x
West Pennard 3 163.04x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 53
Elizabeth 31
Sarah 17
Jane 15
Eliza 12
Emily 12
Ann 11
Ellen 11
Annie 10
Alice 9
Emma 9
Louisa 9
Margaret 9
Catherine 8
Fanny 8
Martha 8
Rose 7
Florence 6
Lucy 6
Ada 5
Charlotte 5
Edith 4
Ethel 4
Frances 4
Hannah 4
Maria 4
Anna 3
Anne 3
Harriet 3
Jessie 3
Kate 3
Margret 3
Ruth 3
Susan 3
Agusta 2
Beatrice 2
Bertha 2
Clara 2
Eleanor 2
Esther 2
Grace 2
Helen 2
Laura 2
Mabel 2
Marian 2
Melinda 2
Priscilla 2
Sally 2
Susannah 2
Teresa 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 37
William 37
Thomas 23
George 21
Charles 18
Henry 13
James 13
Richard 13
Frederick 10
Joseph 10
Arthur 8
Francis 5
Robert 5
Samuel 5
Alfred 4
Walter 4
Albert 3
Edmund 3
Edwin 3
Ernest 3
Harry 3
Lucius 3
Michael 3
Tom 3
Alexander 2
Cornelius 2
Edward 2
Frank 2
Fred 2
Herbert 2
Josph 2
Reginald 2
Sidney 2
Thos.F. 2
Andrew 1
Charley 1
Chas.Thos. 1
Christopher 1
Daniel 1
Edgar 1
Evelyn 1
Flower 1
Frederic 1
H. 1
H.M. 1
Isaac 1
J. 1
Jabez 1
Jerimiah 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Cary surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cary surname in 1881?

In 1881, 729 people were recorded with the Cary surname. That placed it at #5,013 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cary surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 601 in 2016. That gives Cary a modern rank of #8,708.

What does the Cary surname mean?

Derived from various place names meaning "pleasant stream," or from a Welsh word meaning "love."

What does the Cary map show?

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