NameCensus.

UK surname

Curling

An occupational surname derived from the verb "to curl", referring to a maker or seller of curled or woven fabrics.

In the 1881 census there were 465 people recorded with the Curling surname, ranking it #7,144 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 356, ranked #12,978, down from #7,144 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hernhill, London parishes and St Mary Islington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Isle of Wight, Dover and Hillingdon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Curling is 515 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 23.4%.

1881 census count

465

Ranked #7,144

Modern count

356

2016, ranked #12,978

Peak year

1911

515 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Curling had 465 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,144 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 356 in 2016, ranked #12,978.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 515 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Curling surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Curling surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Curling 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 416 #5,842
1861 historical 342 #7,460
1881 historical 465 #7,144
1891 historical 489 #7,570
1901 historical 471 #8,420
1911 historical 515 #7,658
1997 modern 434 #10,361
1998 modern 427 #10,825
1999 modern 424 #10,969
2000 modern 424 #10,919
2001 modern 408 #11,056
2002 modern 414 #11,151
2003 modern 412 #11,026
2004 modern 418 #10,923
2005 modern 398 #11,231
2006 modern 402 #11,213
2007 modern 397 #11,433
2008 modern 391 #11,675
2009 modern 404 #11,636
2010 modern 395 #12,105
2011 modern 399 #11,882
2012 modern 362 #12,615
2013 modern 369 #12,655
2014 modern 367 #12,801
2015 modern 359 #12,906
2016 modern 356 #12,978

Geography

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Where Curlings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hernhill, London parishes, St Mary Islington, Ramsgate and St Margaret at Cliffe, Oxney. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Isle of Wight, Dover, Hillingdon and Swale. 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 Hernhill Kent
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)
4 Ramsgate Kent
5 St Margaret at Cliffe, Oxney Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Isle of Wight 011 Isle of Wight
2 Dover 003 Dover
3 Hillingdon 022 Hillingdon
4 Isle of Wight 008 Isle of Wight
5 Swale 015 Swale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Curling

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Curling

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Curling is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Curling 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

Curling falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Curling

The surname Curling has its origins in the Lowlands of Scotland, emerging in the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "cyrnel," which means a small kernel or seed. This likely referred to a person who worked with grains or seeds, possibly a miller or farmer.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a historical document that recorded the names of Scottish nobles and landowners who swore fealty to King Edward I of England after his invasion of Scotland. The name appears as "Curlyng" in this record.

In the 14th century, the name was also documented in the form "Kerlyng" in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, which were financial records maintained by the Scottish government. This spelling variation suggests a possible connection to the town of Kerling, located in Aberdeenshire.

Notable individuals bearing the Curling surname include Sir Alexander Curling (1572-1649), a Scottish merchant and politician who served as Lord Provost of Edinburgh. Another prominent figure was John Curling (1599-1670), a Scottish clergyman and author who wrote several religious texts.

In the 17th century, the name appears in the records of the Parish of Dalkeith, near Edinburgh, with the spelling "Curlin." This variation may have been influenced by the local dialect or pronunciation.

The 18th century saw the birth of James Curling (1756-1828), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars. He was later appointed as the Governor of Newfoundland in 1819.

Another notable bearer of the surname was Samuel Curling (1819-1889), a British banker and philanthropist who founded the Curling Memorial Prize, awarded annually to students of the University of London for excellence in mathematics and chemistry.

As the name spread across the British Isles and beyond, it acquired various spellings, such as Curlin, Curlen, and Curlinge. However, the most common form remained Curling, which continues to be prevalent in Scotland, England, and other parts of the world today.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Curling families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Curling 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 282 Curlings recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.10x.

County Total Index
Kent 282 18.10x
Middlesex 66 1.45x
Surrey 35 1.57x
Essex 23 2.55x
Dorset 9 3.00x
Yorkshire 9 0.20x
Hampshire 7 0.75x
Selkirkshire 6 14.53x
Devon 3 0.32x
Hertfordshire 3 0.95x
Suffolk 3 0.54x
Sussex 3 0.39x
Durham 2 0.15x
Lancashire 2 0.04x
Lincolnshire 2 0.27x
Royal Navy 2 3.68x
Somerset 2 0.27x
Wiltshire 2 0.50x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.36x
Cheshire 1 0.10x
Cumberland 1 0.25x
Derbyshire 1 0.14x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.96x
Oxfordshire 1 0.35x
Worcestershire 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. Deal in Kent leads with 32 Curlings recorded in 1881 and an index of 240.78x.

Place Total Index
Deal 32 240.78x
Hernhill 32 2711.86x
St Margarets At Cliffe 18 1935.48x
Walmer 16 236.34x
Ramsgate 15 58.99x
West Ham 15 7.54x
Whitstable 14 183.25x
Camberwell 13 4.46x
Faversham 13 87.54x
Davington 11 3142.86x
Islington London 11 2.49x
St Pancras London 10 2.72x
Hougham 9 97.19x
Melcombe Regis 9 72.46x
St George In East London 9 20.96x
Dover St Mary Virgin 8 53.05x
Dunkirk 8 689.66x
Holy Trinity 8 7.35x
Preston Next Faversham 8 218.58x
Shadoxhurst 8 2666.67x
Snodland 8 181.00x
Cuxton 7 1147.54x
Tottenham 7 9.63x
East Ham 6 35.89x
Selkirk 6 51.55x
Southampton St Mary 6 10.20x
Ashford 5 32.96x
Frindsbury 5 85.18x
Hackney London 5 1.95x
Milton In Gravesend 5 21.40x
Paddington London 5 2.98x
Boughton Under Blean 4 153.26x
Charlton 4 38.65x
Croydon 4 3.24x
Herne 4 57.97x
Minster In Sheppey 4 15.50x
Minster In Thanet 4 123.46x
Tunstall 4 952.38x
Battersea 3 1.79x
Canterbury St George 3 160.43x
Chertsey 3 20.88x
Dover St James 3 43.92x
Enfield 3 10.02x
Hillingdon 3 20.62x
Lambeth 3 0.75x
Margate St John Baptist 3 10.52x
Murston 3 217.39x
Newington 3 1.78x
Plymouth St Andrew 3 4.10x
Buckland In Dover 2 38.76x
Edmonton 2 5.44x
Henfield 2 67.57x
Ipswich St Margaret 2 10.60x
Kensington London 2 0.79x
Norwood 2 19.16x
Ringwould 2 150.38x
Rochester St Margaret 2 12.17x
Royal Navy 2 4.30x
Sandwich St Clement 2 151.52x
Sandwich St Peter 2 121.95x
Shoreditch London 2 1.01x
St Ippollitts 2 126.58x
Stourmouth 2 400.00x
Streatham 2 5.90x
Tonbridge 2 3.56x
Usworth 2 27.74x
Warminster 2 22.60x
Wrington 2 80.97x
Caldewgate 1 4.64x
Chiswick 1 4.01x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 1.16x
Deptford St Paul 1 0.83x
Eastry 1 46.30x
Ecclesall Bierlow 1 1.09x
Great Grimsby 1 2.16x
Guilsfield 1 26.32x
Leigh 1 31.95x
Lewisham 1 1.20x
South Shoebury 1 27.62x
Southampton All Sts 1 6.23x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 25
Elizabeth 17
Emma 11
Sarah 11
Jane 10
Alice 8
Ann 7
Eliza 7
Emily 7
Maria 7
Ellen 6
Harriet 6
Catherine 5
Florence 5
Annie 4
Charlotte 4
Clara 4
Kate 4
Lucy 4
Martha 4
Edith 3
Julia 3
Louisa 3
Sophia 3
Susannah 3
Abigail 2
Ada 2
Edna 2
Elizbth. 2
Ella 2
Fanny 2
Grace 2
Ida 2
Isabella 2
Rosetta 2
Selina 2
Agnes 1
Aveline 1
Bertha 1
Carie 1
Caroline 1
Eleanor 1
Elizath. 1
Elizh. 1
Elizh.M. 1
Elizth. 1
Harriett 1
Jemima 1
Johanna 1
Theresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 24
John 23
Henry 19
James 14
Edward 12
George 12
Alfred 11
Charles 10
Thomas 9
Frederick 6
Walter 6
Richard 5
Robert 5
Albert 4
David 4
Frank 4
Harry 4
Giles 3
Herbert 3
Samuel 3
Stephen 3
Arthur 2
Edwin 2
Ernest 2
Finnis 2
Francis 2
Morris 2
Benjamin 1
Daniel 1
Dennis 1
Edwd. 1
Ellen 1
Flk 1
Fredrick 1
G. 1
Geo. 1
Gilbert 1
Horace 1
Jeffrey 1
Jem 1
Jesse 1
Jno. 1
Martin 1
Michael 1
Nathaniel 1
Noah 1
Reginald 1
Robt. 1
Ross 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Curling surname: questions and answers

How common was the Curling surname in 1881?

In 1881, 465 people were recorded with the Curling surname. That placed it at #7,144 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Curling surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 356 in 2016. That gives Curling a modern rank of #12,978.

What does the Curling surname mean?

An occupational surname derived from the verb "to curl", referring to a maker or seller of curled or woven fabrics.

What does the Curling map show?

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