NameCensus.

UK surname

Curd

An occupational surname for a maker or seller of cheese curds or cottage cheese.

In the 1881 census there were 706 people recorded with the Curd surname, ranking it #5,148 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,017, ranked #5,729, down from #5,148 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Dartford and Yalding, Aylesford, Burham, Mereworth, Wateringbury, Nettlestead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rother, Tunbridge Wells and Test Valley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Curd is 1,184 in 1997. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 44.1%.

1881 census count

706

Ranked #5,148

Modern count

1,017

2016, ranked #5,729

Peak year

1997

1,184 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Curd had 706 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,148 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,017 in 2016, ranked #5,729.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,180 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Curd surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Curd surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Curd 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 400 #6,040
1861 historical 423 #6,073
1881 historical 706 #5,148
1891 historical 902 #4,570
1901 historical 1,023 #4,671
1911 historical 1,180 #3,968
1997 modern 1,184 #4,767
1998 modern 1,180 #4,948
1999 modern 1,175 #5,018
2000 modern 1,166 #5,024
2001 modern 1,147 #5,000
2002 modern 1,143 #5,115
2003 modern 1,120 #5,104
2004 modern 1,099 #5,187
2005 modern 1,066 #5,276
2006 modern 1,043 #5,385
2007 modern 1,053 #5,378
2008 modern 1,034 #5,498
2009 modern 1,046 #5,570
2010 modern 1,074 #5,547
2011 modern 1,069 #5,504
2012 modern 1,045 #5,519
2013 modern 1,056 #5,567
2014 modern 1,047 #5,643
2015 modern 1,021 #5,713
2016 modern 1,017 #5,729

Geography

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Where Curds are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Dartford, Yalding, Aylesford, Burham, Mereworth, Wateringbury, Nettlestead and Brighton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rother, Tunbridge Wells, Test Valley, Derby and Kensington and Chelsea. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Dartford Kent
4 Yalding, Aylesford, Burham, Mereworth, Wateringbury, Nettlestead Kent
5 Brighton Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rother 002 Rother
2 Tunbridge Wells 001 Tunbridge Wells
3 Test Valley 001 Test Valley
4 Derby 025 Derby
5 Kensington and Chelsea 005 Kensington and Chelsea

Forenames

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First names often paired with Curd

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Curd

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Curd surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Curd household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Curd 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

Curd is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Curd falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Curd

The surname CURD originates from the Anglo-Saxon regions of England, particularly in areas like Norfolk and Suffolk. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "curd," referring to a dairy product made from the coagulated part of milk, separated from the whey. This suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational surname for someone involved in cheese or dairy production.

Records from the late 12th century, such as the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire, mention individuals with the surname CURD or similar spellings like "Curdde" or "Curde." The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also contain references to a Robert Curd in Cambridgeshire. These early mentions indicate that the name was established in various parts of eastern England by the 13th century.

The Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive record of landholders in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, does not explicitly mention the surname CURD. However, it does include place names like "Curdworth" in Warwickshire, which may have influenced the development of the surname in that region.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the CURD surname was John Curd, born around 1425 in Somerset. Another notable figure was William Curd, a merchant and alderman in the City of London, who lived from 1520 to 1588. In the 17th century, Robert Curd (1617-1688) was a prominent English clergyman and writer.

In the 18th century, James Curd (1738-1820) was a British politician who served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Taunton. Around the same time, John Curd (1751-1828) was an English artist known for his landscape paintings.

Moving into the 19th century, we find mentions of Charles Edward Curd (1819-1889), an English cricketer who played for Surrey County Cricket Club. Another notable figure was John Curd (1836-1898), a British architect responsible for designing several churches and public buildings in London.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Curd families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Curd 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. Kent leads with 250 Curds recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.72x.

County Total Index
Kent 250 10.72x
Sussex 162 14.05x
Middlesex 143 2.09x
Surrey 51 1.53x
Hertfordshire 28 5.94x
Hampshire 14 1.00x
Essex 13 0.96x
Derbyshire 10 0.93x
Durham 6 0.29x
Berkshire 5 0.97x
Radnorshire 4 7.25x
Norfolk 3 0.29x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.48x
Herefordshire 2 0.71x
Worcestershire 2 0.22x
Yorkshire 2 0.03x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.23x
Dorset 1 0.22x
Northumberland 1 0.10x
Shropshire 1 0.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Brighton in Sussex leads with 27 Curds recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.61x.

Place Total Index
Brighton 27 11.61x
Bethnal Green London 26 8.75x
Buxted 25 554.32x
Dartford 25 104.78x
Brenchley 22 263.47x
Maresfield 21 432.10x
Rye 21 191.61x
Wateringbury 20 655.74x
Deptford St Paul 17 9.45x
Tonbridge 16 19.01x
Poplar London 15 11.62x
Kensington London 14 3.68x
Camberwell 13 2.98x
Charlton 12 77.42x
Pinner 12 200.33x
Portsea 12 4.37x
West Ham 12 4.03x
Chatham 11 17.14x
Hunton 11 539.22x
Kings Langley 11 319.77x
Derby St Alkmund 10 31.17x
Hammersmith London 10 5.94x
New Shoreham 10 144.72x
Pembury 10 302.11x
Putney 10 32.08x
Croydon 9 4.87x
Maidstone 9 12.95x
Portslade 9 127.66x
Westminster St Margaret 9 27.28x
Hanwell 8 66.01x
Kingsdown In Dartford 8 824.74x
Bushey 7 62.39x
Farnborough 7 205.88x
Gillingham 7 14.55x
Islington London 7 1.06x
Lewisham 7 5.63x
North Mimms 7 235.69x
Lambeth 6 1.01x
St Marylebone London 6 1.64x
Sturry 6 217.39x
Blean 5 310.56x
Broadwater 5 18.90x
Chiswick 5 13.38x
Hackington St Stephen 5 333.33x
Hastings St Leonards 5 29.50x
Herne 5 48.40x
Lewes St John Under 5 318.47x
Bisham 4 242.42x
Bromley London 4 2.66x
Bucknell 4 239.52x
Canterbury St Alphage 4 160.64x
Cuckfield 4 34.36x
Greenwich 4 3.67x
Harbledown 4 236.69x
Kingston By Sea 4 218.58x
Limehouse London 4 5.33x
Mereworth 4 212.77x
Milton In Gravesend 4 11.43x
Nettlestead 4 287.77x
Paddington London 4 1.59x
Rotherhithe 4 4.73x
St Pancras London 4 0.73x
Woolwich 4 4.64x
Bishopwearmouth 3 1.72x
Brandon 3 53.10x
Chelsea London 3 1.46x
Ford 3 49.18x
Hastings St Clement 3 27.65x
Lee 3 8.86x
Wimbledon 3 8.02x
Aldershot 2 4.26x
Eastbourne 2 3.77x
Fulham London 2 2.02x
Leominster 2 17.23x
Lindfield 2 41.07x
Newhaven 2 21.34x
Skelton In Guisbrough 2 10.91x
St Andrew Holborn London 2 6.75x
West Hoathly 2 55.25x
Yalding 2 33.96x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 35
Elizabeth 31
Emma 20
Eliza 14
Alice 13
Clara 12
Emily 12
Sarah 12
Ann 9
Annie 9
Ellen 9
Jane 9
Louisa 8
Ada 6
Hannah 6
Julia 6
Kate 6
Rose 6
Charlotte 5
Florence 5
Martha 5
Caroline 4
Edith 4
Harriett 4
Lucy 4
Matilda 4
Amy 3
Esther 3
Frances 3
Harriet 3
Margaret 3
Maria 3
Maud 3
Rhoda 3
Rosina 3
Susan 3
Anna 2
Bertha 2
Catherine 2
Charity 2
Eunice 2
Fanny 2
Lizzie 2
Rachel 2
Susanah 2
Alicia 1
Anney 1
Edith.L. 1
Elina 1
Elinor 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Curd surname: questions and answers

How common was the Curd surname in 1881?

In 1881, 706 people were recorded with the Curd surname. That placed it at #5,148 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Curd surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,017 in 2016. That gives Curd a modern rank of #5,729.

What does the Curd surname mean?

An occupational surname for a maker or seller of cheese curds or cottage cheese.

What does the Curd map show?

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