NameCensus.

UK surname

Curless

A variant spelling of the occupational surname Curless, referring to a maker of curls or wig maker.

In the 1881 census there were 13 people recorded with the Curless surname, ranking it #31,761 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 91, ranked #32,109, down from #31,761 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wigan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Curless is 110 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 600.0%.

1881 census count

13

Ranked #31,761

Modern count

91

2016, ranked #32,109

Peak year

1999

110 bearers

Map years

1

2006 to 2006

Key insights

  • Curless had 13 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,761 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 91 in 2016, ranked #32,109.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 34 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Curless surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Curless surname density by area, 2006 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Curless 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 7 #32,070
1861 historical 28 #30,405
1881 historical 13 #31,761
1891 historical 26 #32,189
1901 historical 32 #30,501
1911 historical 34 #29,600
1997 modern 105 #26,188
1998 modern 98 #27,923
1999 modern 110 #26,315
2000 modern 101 #27,555
2001 modern 94 #28,246
2002 modern 98 #28,243
2003 modern 102 #27,383
2004 modern 107 #26,899
2005 modern 97 #28,485
2006 modern 101 #28,125
2007 modern 100 #28,669
2008 modern 102 #28,664
2009 modern 104 #28,982
2010 modern 104 #29,618
2011 modern 105 #29,287
2012 modern 95 #31,107
2013 modern 96 #31,381
2014 modern 95 #31,792
2015 modern 92 #32,075
2016 modern 91 #32,109

Geography

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Where Curless' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wigan. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wigan 013 Wigan
2 Wigan 020 Wigan
3 Wigan 005 Wigan
4 Wigan 014 Wigan
5 Wigan 018 Wigan

Forenames

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First names often paired with Curless

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Curless

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Curless is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, 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 predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

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

Curless is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Curless falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Curless

The surname Curless originates from England and dates back to the late 16th century. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from a now-lost place name that may have been spelled as "Curless" or a similar variation. The name is thought to be a combination of the Old English words "cur," meaning a shelter or a small dwelling, and "less," which was a common suffix used to denote a meadow or a pasture.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Curless can be found in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Westbury, Wiltshire, England, where a certain John Curless was christened in 1592. The name also appears in the Hearth Tax Returns of 1662 for the county of Gloucestershire, where a Thomas Curless is listed as a householder in the village of Painswick.

In the 17th century, a notable figure bearing the name Curless was Thomas Curless, a puritan minister who served as the Rector of Pitminster in Somerset from 1656 until his death in 1685. His son, also named Thomas Curless (1658-1732), followed in his father's footsteps and became a clergyman in the Church of England.

Another historically significant individual with the surname Curless was John Curless (1783-1859), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars. He rose to the rank of Rear Admiral and was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in recognition of his distinguished service.

In the 19th century, a prominent bearer of the name was William Curless (1809-1888), a Scottish architect who designed several notable buildings in Glasgow, including the St. Andrew's Halls and the Western Club. His son, also named William Curless (1843-1917), followed in his footsteps and became a respected architect in his own right.

Another noteworthy figure was James Curless (1820-1891), an English businessman and philanthropist who made his fortune in the textile industry. He was a generous benefactor to several charitable causes in his hometown of Bradford, West Yorkshire.

While the name Curless is not as common as some other English surnames, it has been carried by individuals from various walks of life throughout history, including clergymen, military officers, architects, and successful entrepreneurs.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Curless families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Curless 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. Staffordshire leads with 9 Curless' recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.03x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 9 21.03x
Middlesex 2 1.58x
Sussex 1 4.68x
Warwickshire 1 3.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wolstanton Oldcott in Staffordshire leads with 9 Curless' recorded in 1881 and an index of 5625.00x.

Place Total Index
Wolstanton Oldcott 9 5625.00x
Ealing 2 176.99x
Birmingham 1 9.38x
Hastings St Mary 1 188.68x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Catherine 1
Elizabeth 1
Hannah 1
Jane 1
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Patrick 2
William 2
Frederick 1
James 1
Michael 1
Thomas 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Curless households.

FAQ

Curless surname: questions and answers

How common was the Curless surname in 1881?

In 1881, 13 people were recorded with the Curless surname. That placed it at #31,761 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Curless surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 91 in 2016. That gives Curless a modern rank of #32,109.

What does the Curless surname mean?

A variant spelling of the occupational surname Curless, referring to a maker of curls or wig maker.

What does the Curless map show?

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