NameCensus.

UK surname

Corr

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic word "corr," meaning "odd," "uneven," or "descendant of the spear."

In the 1881 census there were 242 people recorded with the Corr surname, ranking it #11,333 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,693, ranked #3,690, up from #11,333 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Jarrow and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bassetlaw, South Tyneside and Ibrox.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Corr is 1,697 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 599.6%.

1881 census count

242

Ranked #11,333

Modern count

1,693

2016, ranked #3,690

Peak year

2014

1,697 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Corr had 242 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,333 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,693 in 2016, ranked #3,690.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 406 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Corr surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Corr surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Corr 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 144 #13,277
1861 historical 299 #8,460
1881 historical 242 #11,333
1891 historical 406 #8,765
1901 historical 384 #9,745
1911 historical 355 #10,172
1997 modern 1,427 #4,076
1998 modern 1,499 #4,051
1999 modern 1,500 #4,088
2000 modern 1,529 #3,999
2001 modern 1,508 #3,964
2002 modern 1,545 #3,977
2003 modern 1,531 #3,928
2004 modern 1,550 #3,882
2005 modern 1,512 #3,936
2006 modern 1,528 #3,897
2007 modern 1,578 #3,812
2008 modern 1,597 #3,798
2009 modern 1,646 #3,792
2010 modern 1,676 #3,809
2011 modern 1,649 #3,820
2012 modern 1,613 #3,820
2013 modern 1,673 #3,752
2014 modern 1,697 #3,729
2015 modern 1,682 #3,720
2016 modern 1,693 #3,690

Geography

Back to top

Where Corrs are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Bassetlaw, South Tyneside, Ibrox, Petersburn and Wakefield. 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 Jarrow Durham
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bassetlaw 015 Bassetlaw
2 South Tyneside 015 South Tyneside
3 Ibrox Glasgow City
4 Petersburn North Lanarkshire
5 Wakefield 015 Wakefield

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Corr

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Corr

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Corr surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Corr household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Corr 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

Corr 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

Corr 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 Corr 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Corr

The surname Corr has its origins in Ireland, tracing back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic word "corr," meaning "heron" or "crane." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a nickname or descriptive name to someone who bore a resemblance to the bird or had a particular affinity for it.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. In the year 1175, a man named Gilla na Naingel Ua Corr is mentioned as a notable poet and historian.

Throughout the medieval period, the Corr surname was predominantly found in the northern counties of Ireland, particularly in Donegal and Tyrone. Historical records show that the name was also present in the adjacent regions of Scotland, likely due to the migration of Irish families across the North Channel.

In the 16th century, a prominent figure bearing the Corr surname was Piaras Feiritéar Ó Corr, a renowned Irish poet and scholar who lived from approximately 1560 to 1630. His works were celebrated for their mastery of the Irish language and their contribution to the preservation of traditional Irish literature.

Another notable individual was Sir John Corr, a 17th-century lawyer and judge who served as the Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer in Ireland from 1688 to 1689. He was born in County Down around 1640 and played a significant role in the legal system of his time.

In the 19th century, John Corr (1802-1876), a prominent Irish businessman and philanthropist, made his mark in the city of Belfast. He founded the successful linen manufacturing firm, John Corr & Sons, and was known for his charitable contributions to various educational and religious institutions.

The Corr surname has also been associated with several place names in Ireland, such as Corrmore and Corrashee, both located in County Antrim. These place names likely originated from the Irish words "corr" and "mór" (meaning "great" or "large"), suggesting a connection to the heron or crane symbolism.

Throughout history, the Corr surname has maintained a notable presence in Ireland, with many individuals contributing to various fields, including literature, law, business, and philanthropy. While the name's origins can be traced back to the 12th century, its enduring legacy continues to be woven into the cultural tapestry of Ireland and beyond.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Corr families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Corr 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. Durham leads with 44 Corrs recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.32x.

County Total Index
Durham 44 6.32x
Lancashire 36 1.30x
Lanarkshire 31 4.09x
Middlesex 26 1.11x
Fife 19 13.71x
Yorkshire 18 0.78x
Midlothian 16 5.10x
Northumberland 8 2.30x
Dorset 7 4.56x
Cheshire 6 1.16x
Dunbartonshire 4 6.36x
Surrey 4 0.35x
Kirkcudbrightshire 3 8.85x
Warwickshire 3 0.51x
Cumberland 2 0.99x
Kent 2 0.25x
Ayrshire 1 0.57x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.67x
Devon 1 0.21x
Dumfriesshire 1 1.93x
Hampshire 1 0.21x
Lincolnshire 1 0.27x
Norfolk 1 0.28x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.32x
Royal Navy 1 3.58x
Staffordshire 1 0.13x
West Lothian 1 2.84x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Heworth in Durham leads with 24 Corrs recorded in 1881 and an index of 174.93x.

Place Total Index
Heworth 24 174.93x
Thornaby 15 173.01x
Glasgow 14 10.41x
Forgan 12 452.83x
Barony 10 5.22x
Liverpool 10 5.93x
North Leith 10 68.92x
Bethnal Green London 8 7.87x
Oldham 8 8.92x
Abbotshall 7 135.14x
Chardstock 7 660.38x
Darlington 7 26.03x
Heaton Norris 7 44.28x
Iveston 7 218.07x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 6 80.86x
Hamilton 6 28.41x
Mile End Old Town London 5 10.04x
Newton 5 23.35x
Wallsend 5 45.25x
Birmingham 3 1.52x
Bishopwearmouth 3 5.02x
Camberwell 3 2.01x
Hurdsfield 3 94.34x
Kelton 3 107.91x
Manchester 3 2.40x
Paddington London 3 3.49x
Tranmere 3 15.80x
Cardross 2 26.49x
Chelsea London 2 2.84x
Islington London 2 0.88x
Kirkintilloch 2 23.39x
Mile End New Town London 2 43.20x
St George In East London 2 9.08x
Wolsingham 2 31.50x
Ampleforth Oswaldkirk 1 434.78x
Applegarth 1 128.21x
Barrow In Furness 1 2.65x
Benfieldside 1 21.83x
Bridekirk 1 62.11x
Chirton 1 12.69x
Croydon 1 1.58x
Devonport 1 17.86x
Elm 1 68.97x
Formby 1 31.75x
Gillingham 1 6.07x
Govan 1 0.53x
Grantham 1 20.49x
Halifax 1 2.94x
Hougham 1 21.05x
Hulme 1 1.72x
Huntwick Cum Nostell 1 217.39x
Jesmond 1 20.41x
Muncaster 1 232.56x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 1 4.81x
Old Cumnock 1 25.64x
Royal Navy 1 4.19x
South Stoneham 1 9.61x
St Andrew Holborn 1 12.59x
St Pancras London 1 0.53x
Whitburn 1 19.65x
Winterton 1 158.73x
Wolverhampton 1 1.65x
Worksop 1 10.68x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 15
Margaret 8
Catherine 5
Sarah 5
Ann 4
Elizabeth 4
Annie 3
Rose 3
Agnes 2
Eleanor 2
Jane 2
Bridget 1
Cathrin 1
Cathrine 1
Clara 1
Dorothy 1
Eliz.Ann 1
Eliza 1
Emily 1
Emmily 1
Fanny 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Malvina 1
Maria 1
May 1
Nelly 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 16
James 8
Henry 7
Patrick 7
Edward 4
Joseph 4
Richard 4
Thomas 4
William 4
Hugh 3
Michael 3
Arthur 2
Peter 2
W. 2
Albert 1
Alfd. 1
Alfred 1
Andrew 1
Barney 1
Bernard 1
Cornelius 1
Denis 1
Dennis 1
George 1
Jas. 1
Jas.W.A. 1
Jno.H. 1
Jos. 1
Luke 1
Michall 1
Nicholas 1
Patric 1
Paul 1
Percy 1
R. 1
Thos.W. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Corr surname: questions and answers

How common was the Corr surname in 1881?

In 1881, 242 people were recorded with the Corr surname. That placed it at #11,333 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Corr surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,693 in 2016. That gives Corr a modern rank of #3,690.

What does the Corr surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic word "corr," meaning "odd," "uneven," or "descendant of the spear."

What does the Corr map show?

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