NameCensus.

UK surname

Currah

An English locational surname derived from a township in Yorkshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 166 people recorded with the Currah surname, ranking it #14,496 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 193, ranked #20,039, down from #14,496 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Columb Minor, St Enoder and Middleton-in-Teesdale. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Eden, Cornwall and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Currah is 239 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 16.3%.

1881 census count

166

Ranked #14,496

Modern count

193

2016, ranked #20,039

Peak year

1911

239 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Currah had 166 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,496 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 193 in 2016, ranked #20,039.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 239 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Currah surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Currah surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Currah 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 66 #21,617
1861 historical 100 #21,103
1881 historical 166 #14,496
1891 historical 173 #16,600
1901 historical 179 #16,227
1911 historical 239 #13,321
1997 modern 176 #19,091
1998 modern 176 #19,584
1999 modern 181 #19,380
2000 modern 180 #19,425
2001 modern 179 #19,215
2002 modern 188 #19,012
2003 modern 192 #18,568
2004 modern 191 #18,723
2005 modern 189 #18,807
2006 modern 190 #18,898
2007 modern 190 #19,088
2008 modern 197 #18,818
2009 modern 198 #19,145
2010 modern 204 #19,200
2011 modern 194 #19,662
2012 modern 182 #20,440
2013 modern 195 #19,857
2014 modern 193 #20,159
2015 modern 193 #20,056
2016 modern 193 #20,039

Geography

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Where Currahs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Columb Minor, St Enoder, Middleton-in-Teesdale, Alston and St Merryn. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Eden, Cornwall, County Durham and Tonbridge and Malling. 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 St Columb Minor Cornwall
2 St Enoder Cornwall
3 Middleton-in-Teesdale Durham
4 Alston Cumberland
5 St Merryn Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Eden 001 Eden
2 Cornwall 037 Cornwall
3 County Durham 042 County Durham
4 Tonbridge and Malling 008 Tonbridge and Malling
5 Cornwall 006 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Currah

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Currah

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Currah is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Currah is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Currah falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Currah

The surname Currah is of English origin, and it is believed to have first emerged in the Yorkshire region of England during the medieval period. The name is derived from the Old English word "curre," which means "to pull or drag." It is thought to have originally referred to a person who worked as a carter or a hauler, transporting goods or materials by cart or wagon.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Curuhe." This historic manuscript, commissioned by William the Conqueror, was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and property ownership in England at the time.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as "Curray," "Curre," and "Currey," reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation common during that era. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and scribal interpretations.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Currah was John Currah, who lived in Yorkshire in the late 14th century. Records show that he was a landowner and farmer in the village of Ripley.

Another notable bearer of the name was William Currah, born in 1632 in the village of Baildon, near Bradford, Yorkshire. He was a prominent wool merchant and played a significant role in the local textile industry, which was a major economic driver in the region at the time.

In the 18th century, the name Currah was associated with several place names in Yorkshire, such as Currah Farm and Currah Lane, indicating the presence of families bearing this surname in those areas.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Currah was Sir John Currah (1799-1878), a British entrepreneur and industrialist who made a significant fortune in the textile and coal mining industries. He was also a philanthropist and supported various charitable causes in his hometown of Bradford.

Another notable figure was Mary Currah (1838-1921), an English social reformer and activist who campaigned for women's rights and advocated for better working conditions for factory workers in the textile mills of Yorkshire.

Throughout its history, the surname Currah has been associated with various occupations, including farming, textile manufacturing, and coal mining, reflecting the economic and industrial development of the Yorkshire region over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Currah families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Currah 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. Cornwall leads with 69 Currahs recorded in 1881 and an index of 37.64x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 69 37.64x
Durham 38 7.89x
Cumberland 20 14.35x
Westmorland 16 44.96x
Kent 8 1.45x
Northumberland 8 3.32x
Worcestershire 3 1.42x
Lincolnshire 1 0.39x
Middlesex 1 0.06x
Surrey 1 0.13x
Yorkshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Alston in Cumberland leads with 20 Currahs recorded in 1881 and an index of 778.21x.

Place Total Index
Alston 20 778.21x
St Ervan 17 7727.27x
St Enoder 16 2580.65x
Dufton 15 6521.74x
Stanhope 14 281.69x
St Merryn 12 4000.00x
Crayford 8 331.95x
Middleton In Teesdale 8 629.92x
Wolsingham 8 182.23x
St Germans 7 546.88x
Perranzabuloe 5 316.46x
Byker 4 33.59x
Darlington 4 21.51x
Forest Frith 4 952.38x
St Columb Minor 4 259.74x
Yardley 3 55.45x
Bodmin St Mabyn 2 2000.00x
Budock 2 144.93x
Lanteglos 2 235.29x
Prudhoe 2 119.05x
Clee With Weelsby 1 17.64x
Crosby Ravensworth 1 232.56x
Guisbrough 1 28.49x
Kirkhaugh 1 1000.00x
Mawgan In Pyder 1 256.41x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 1 6.95x
Paddington London 1 1.68x
Southwark Christchurch 1 13.18x
St Eval 1 666.67x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 14
Joseph 11
William 9
Thomas 8
George 4
Richard 4
Ralph 3
Charles 2
Edwin 2
Emerson 2
Henry 2
Isaac 2
James 2
Jonathan 2
Robert 2
Edmund 1
Jos.Emmerson 1
Nathaniel 1
Nicholas 1
Reuben 1
Samuel 1
Stanley 1
Thos. 1
Wm.John 1

FAQ

Currah surname: questions and answers

How common was the Currah surname in 1881?

In 1881, 166 people were recorded with the Currah surname. That placed it at #14,496 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Currah surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 193 in 2016. That gives Currah a modern rank of #20,039.

What does the Currah surname mean?

An English locational surname derived from a township in Yorkshire, England.

What does the Currah map show?

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