UK surname
A descriptive surname referring to someone with curly or kinky hair.
In the 1881 census there were 174 people recorded with the Curly surname, ranking it #14,042 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 27, ranked #36,189, down from #14,042 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to St George in the East, Gateshead and Bonhill. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Curly is 174 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 84.5%.
1881 census count
174
Ranked #14,042
Modern count
27
2016, ranked #36,189
Peak year
1881
174 bearers
Map years
4
1851 to 1901
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Curly surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Curly surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 106 | #16,512 |
| 1861 | historical | 133 | #16,835 |
| 1881 | historical | 174 | #14,042 |
| 1891 | historical | 95 | #24,694 |
| 1901 | historical | 114 | #21,166 |
| 1911 | historical | 43 | #28,581 |
| 1997 | modern | 22 | #35,584 |
| 1998 | modern | 22 | #35,687 |
| 1999 | modern | 23 | #35,612 |
| 2000 | modern | 23 | #35,588 |
| 2001 | modern | 24 | #35,357 |
| 2002 | modern | 22 | #35,709 |
| 2003 | modern | 22 | #35,740 |
| 2004 | modern | 19 | #36,147 |
| 2005 | modern | 18 | #36,332 |
| 2006 | modern | 21 | #36,179 |
| 2007 | modern | 21 | #36,290 |
| 2008 | modern | 21 | #36,355 |
| 2009 | modern | 29 | #35,922 |
| 2010 | modern | 25 | #36,273 |
| 2011 | modern | 27 | #36,136 |
| 2012 | modern | 29 | #35,991 |
| 2013 | modern | 27 | #36,150 |
| 2014 | modern | 25 | #36,314 |
| 2015 | modern | 26 | #36,228 |
| 2016 | modern | 27 | #36,189 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around St George in the East, Gateshead, Bonhill, Manchester and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | St George in the East | London (East Districts) |
| 2 | Gateshead | Durham |
| 3 | Bonhill | Dunbarton |
| 4 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 5 | Glasgow | Lanark |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Curly surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Curly, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Curly surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Curly household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Curly is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Curly is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Curly, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Curly is believed to have originated in England, with roots dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "cyrlisc," which means "curly-haired" or "having curly hair." This surname was likely given as a descriptive nickname to individuals with distinctive curly hair.
During the Middle Ages, surnames were often derived from physical characteristics, occupations, or locations. The earliest recorded instance of the Curly surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, a census-like document from 1273, where a person named Willelmus Crull is mentioned.
In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various spellings, such as Curle, Crull, and Crullie, reflecting regional variations in pronunciation and spelling conventions of the time. The Curly surname was also found in the Placita de Quo Warranto, a legal record from 1292, which mentions a John Crulle from Buckinghamshire.
One notable historical figure bearing the Curly surname was Sir Walter Curly, a knight who fought alongside King Edward III in the Battle of Crécy during the Hundred Years' War in 1346. Another prominent individual was John Curly, a merchant from Bristol who was granted a royal charter by King Henry VII in 1497 to establish trade routes with the Mediterranean region.
In the 16th century, the Curly surname was found in various places across England, including Yorkshire, where a family by the name of Curly owned lands near the village of Ripley. Thomas Curly, born in 1532, was a renowned scholar and theologian who served as the Dean of Chichester Cathedral.
During the 17th century, the Curly surname gained prominence in literature with the works of Richard Curly, a poet and playwright born in 1602 in London. His most famous work, "The Love Sonnets," was published in 1637 and became widely acclaimed.
Other notable individuals with the Curly surname include Sir John Curly (1676-1743), a prominent lawyer and Member of Parliament, and Mary Curly (1720-1788), a philanthropist known for her charitable work in establishing schools and orphanages in London.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Curly surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 45 Curlys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.23x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Lancashire | 45 | 2.23x |
| Middlesex | 30 | 1.77x |
| Durham | 22 | 4.36x |
| Lanarkshire | 18 | 3.28x |
| Cheshire | 11 | 2.94x |
| Derbyshire | 6 | 2.26x |
| Dunbartonshire | 6 | 13.16x |
| Surrey | 5 | 0.60x |
| Yorkshire | 5 | 0.30x |
| Ayrshire | 4 | 3.15x |
| Cambridgeshire | 4 | 3.72x |
| Hampshire | 4 | 1.15x |
| Gloucestershire | 3 | 0.90x |
| East Lothian | 2 | 8.90x |
| Essex | 2 | 0.60x |
| Caernarfonshire | 1 | 1.46x |
| Fife | 1 | 1.00x |
| Glamorgan | 1 | 0.34x |
| Northumberland | 1 | 0.40x |
| Nottinghamshire | 1 | 0.44x |
| Oxfordshire | 1 | 0.95x |
| Renfrewshire | 1 | 0.76x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Heaton Norris in Lancashire leads with 9 Curlys recorded in 1881 and an index of 78.53x.
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Curly surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Curly surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Curly households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 34 |
| Cotton Operative | 5 |
| Coal Miner | 4 |
| Fustian Cutter | 4 |
| Labourer | 3 |
| Child | 2 |
| Cotton Winder | 2 |
| Dressmaker | 2 |
| Farm Labourer | 2 |
| Sales Woman | 2 |
| Worsted Spinner | 2 |
| Bottle Beer Work | 1 |
| Bottle Maker | 1 |
| Bricklayers Labourer | 1 |
| Cap Maker (Hatter) | 1 |
| Cardroom Hand | 1 |
| Cardroom Hand (Gtn) | 1 |
| Carman | 1 |
| Carter | 1 |
| Chair Woman | 1 |
| Coachman (N D) | 1 |
| Coal Whipper | 1 |
| Cotton Drawer | 1 |
| Drayman | 1 |
| Driller Iron Works | 1 |
| Farm Lab Pauper | 1 |
| Farm Serv (Indoor) | 1 |
| Fireman | 1 |
| Forewoman Shirt Collar Maker | 1 |
| Gen Lab | 1 |
| General Farm Labourer | 1 |
| General Laborer | 1 |
| General Serv | 1 |
| General Servant (Domestic) | 1 |
| Groom & Gardener | 1 |
| Hawker | 1 |
| House Slater | 1 |
| Infant | 1 |
| Laborer | 1 |
| Laborer Wire Works | 1 |
| Labourer (General) | 1 |
| Labourer Oil Worker (Miller) | 1 |
| Moulder (Artiz) | 1 |
| Needlewoman | 1 |
| None | 1 |
| Painter | 1 |
| Paper Washer Paper Mill | 1 |
| Publican Unemployed | 1 |
| Sawyer | 1 |
| Servant (D) | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 174 people were recorded with the Curly surname. That placed it at #14,042 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 27 in 2016. That gives Curly a modern rank of #36,189.
A descriptive surname referring to someone with curly or kinky hair.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Curly bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.