NameCensus.

UK surname

Currie

Derived from the Scottish place name Currie, likely referring to a settlement near a marshland or bog.

In the 1881 census there were 8,467 people recorded with the Currie surname, ranking it #501 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 12,501, ranked #517, down from #501 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Kilmory. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Arran, IZ13 and IZ12.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Currie is 12,668 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 47.6%.

1881 census count

8,467

Ranked #501

Modern count

12,501

2016, ranked #517

Peak year

2010

12,668 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Currie had 8,467 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #501 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 12,501 in 2016, ranked #517.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 10,593 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Currie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Currie surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Currie 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 5,603 #495
1861 historical 5,918 #460
1881 historical 8,467 #501
1891 historical 9,150 #482
1901 historical 10,593 #496
1911 historical 3,102 #1,682
1997 modern 11,512 #529
1998 modern 11,935 #532
1999 modern 11,985 #533
2000 modern 12,070 #527
2001 modern 11,775 #527
2002 modern 12,085 #527
2003 modern 11,800 #528
2004 modern 11,904 #529
2005 modern 11,861 #523
2006 modern 11,938 #520
2007 modern 12,099 #517
2008 modern 12,183 #516
2009 modern 12,437 #519
2010 modern 12,668 #518
2011 modern 12,472 #521
2012 modern 12,206 #525
2013 modern 12,404 #531
2014 modern 12,526 #529
2015 modern 12,518 #522
2016 modern 12,501 #517

Geography

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Where Curries are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Kilmory, Greenock and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Arran, IZ13, IZ12, Rothesay Town and Baillieston East. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Kilmory Bute
4 Greenock Renfrew
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Arran North Ayrshire
2 IZ13 West Dunbartonshire
3 IZ12 West Dunbartonshire
4 Rothesay Town Argyll and Bute
5 Baillieston East Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Currie

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Currie

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Currie surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Currie household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Currie is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Currie is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Currie falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Currie

The surname Currie originated in Scotland and is derived from the Gaelic word 'curaidh', meaning champion or hero. It is believed to have been a nickname given to a notable warrior or chieftain in the early medieval period.

The name can be traced back to the 12th century, with references found in various Scottish records and manuscripts. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which lists several individuals with the surname Currie, including William Currie, a landowner from Perthshire.

In the 14th century, the name appears in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, where it is spelled as 'Currie' and 'Curry'. This suggests that the name may have evolved from an earlier spelling, possibly related to the Old English word 'curi', meaning a noble or valiant person.

The Currie surname is strongly associated with the Scottish Borders region, particularly the areas around Berwickshire and Roxburghshire. Several place names in these regions, such as Currie in Midlothian and Currie Hill in Annandale, are believed to have derived from the surname or vice versa.

One notable individual with the Currie surname was Sir James Currie (1756-1805), a Scottish physician and writer who served as a naval surgeon and wrote a biography of Robert Burns. Another prominent figure was Sir Donald Currie (1825-1909), a Scottish shipping magnate and philanthropist who founded the Currie Line of steamships.

Other notable individuals with the Currie surname include:

1. Archibald Currie (1786-1854), a Scottish merchant and politician from Edinburgh. 2. Euphemia Currie (1829-1912), a Scottish poet and writer from Midlothian. 3. Mary Montgomerie Currie (1843-1905), a Scottish novelist and playwright from Dumfriesshire. 4. Sir Reginald Currie (1899-1981), a British Army officer and recipient of the Victoria Cross during World War I. 5. Walter Currie (1908-1998), a Scottish footballer who played for Rangers F.C. in the 1930s.

While the Currie surname is most prevalent in Scotland and regions with Scottish heritage, it has also spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora communities.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Currie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Currie 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. Lanarkshire leads with 1,987 Curries recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.47x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 1,987 7.47x
Ayrshire 820 13.33x
Midlothian 644 5.85x
Renfrewshire 560 8.79x
Lancashire 542 0.56x
Argyllshire 456 19.92x
Middlesex 322 0.39x
Buteshire 275 55.20x
Dumfriesshire 200 11.01x
Northumberland 180 1.47x
Dunbartonshire 175 7.92x
Fife 166 3.41x
Kirkcudbrightshire 144 12.10x
Selkirkshire 141 18.96x
Roxburghshire 133 8.93x
Surrey 129 0.32x
Durham 122 0.50x
Yorkshire 105 0.13x
Stirlingshire 103 3.40x
Cheshire 92 0.51x
Aberdeenshire 90 1.18x
Cumberland 89 1.26x
Angus 84 1.10x
Inverness-shire 75 3.05x
Banffshire 72 4.22x
East Lothian 58 5.33x
Kent 51 0.18x
Hampshire 46 0.27x
Peeblesshire 41 10.60x
West Lothian 40 3.23x
Perthshire 36 0.98x
Essex 33 0.20x
Sussex 33 0.24x
Clackmannanshire 29 4.27x
Wigtownshire 29 2.66x
Berwickshire 25 2.51x
Staffordshire 25 0.09x
Gloucestershire 21 0.13x
Suffolk 21 0.21x
Warwickshire 20 0.10x
Derbyshire 14 0.11x
Nottinghamshire 14 0.13x
Lincolnshire 13 0.10x
Norfolk 13 0.10x
Devon 12 0.07x
Glamorgan 11 0.08x
Shropshire 11 0.15x
Caithness 9 0.80x
Pembrokeshire 9 0.34x
Westmorland 9 0.50x
Buckinghamshire 8 0.16x
Isle of Man 8 0.52x
Royal Navy 8 0.82x
Worcestershire 8 0.07x
Berkshire 7 0.11x
Kinross-shire 7 3.37x
Morayshire 7 0.55x
Caernarfonshire 6 0.18x
Carmarthenshire 6 0.17x
Somerset 5 0.04x
Brecknockshire 4 0.24x
Cornwall 4 0.04x
Leicestershire 4 0.04x
Northamptonshire 4 0.05x
Channel Islands 3 0.12x
Ross-shire 3 0.13x
Dorset 1 0.02x
Flintshire 1 0.05x
Hertfordshire 1 0.02x
Kincardineshire 1 0.10x
Monmouthshire 1 0.02x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.05x
Radnorshire 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 522 Curries recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.76x.

Place Total Index
Barony 522 7.76x
Govan 481 7.31x
Glasgow 324 6.86x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 256 5.78x
West Greenock 131 11.45x
Kilmory 129 177.73x
Stewarton 123 101.04x
Dalserf 98 36.94x
Kilmarnock 92 12.56x
Old Monkland 81 7.68x
New Monkland 78 9.92x
South Leith 73 5.89x
Abbey 65 6.69x
Liverpool 65 1.10x
South Uist 61 35.61x
Inveresk 59 19.79x
Ardrossan 58 27.23x
Hamilton 58 7.82x
Rothesay 58 24.04x
Selkirk 58 27.68x
Dundee 57 2.00x
Eastwood 57 14.53x
Kilbride 57 92.91x
Dunoon Kilmun 54 30.26x
Galashiels 53 19.27x
Maryhill 53 10.18x
Riccarton Hurlford 51 47.25x
Cambusnethan 49 8.30x
Everton 48 1.54x
East Greenock 47 7.81x
Bowmore 46 87.32x
Kilchoman 46 64.05x
Kensington London 45 0.98x
Paddington London 45 1.49x
Kildalton 44 72.82x
Chorlton On Medlock 42 2.71x
West Derby 42 1.47x
Bonhill 41 11.56x
North Leith 39 7.65x
Kilbarchan 38 19.63x
Hawick 37 11.10x
Fenwick 35 107.49x
Toxteth Park 35 1.06x
St Pancras London 33 0.50x
Torosay 33 142.98x
Manchester 32 0.73x
Paisley High Church 31 6.11x
Auckinleck 30 15.75x
Bishopwearmouth 30 1.43x
St Marylebone London 29 0.66x
Birkenhead 28 1.94x
Campbeltown 28 10.14x
Melrose 28 14.96x
Neilston 28 8.75x
St Quivox 28 13.46x
Kilwinning 27 13.59x
Aberdeen Old Machar 26 1.64x
Dunfermline 26 3.47x
New Cumnock 26 24.37x
Salford 26 0.91x
Barrow In Furness 25 1.88x
Blantyre 25 9.03x
Edinburgh St Stephens 25 11.53x
Lanark 25 11.69x
Troqueer 25 16.01x
Dalmellington 24 13.26x
Bothwell 23 3.19x
Old Kilpatrick 23 8.81x
Dumbarton 22 7.15x
Elswick 22 2.25x
Newcastle On Tyne St 22 3.47x
Stirling 22 5.75x
Ayr 21 7.23x
Bute North 21 62.30x
Campsie 21 12.62x
Lambeth 21 0.29x
Newton On Ayr 21 11.40x
Rerrick 21 41.14x
Ealing 20 2.72x
Killean Kilchenzie 20 51.43x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 149
Elizabeth 73
Margaret 69
Jane 63
Sarah 53
Annie 28
Eliza 25
Isabella 24
Ann 23
Ellen 22
Agnes 20
Catherine 17
Hannah 17
Alice 16
Caroline 13
Emily 13
Emma 13
Jessie 12
Florence 11
Rose 11
Edith 10
Harriet 10
Janet 10
Fanny 9
Frances 9
Margt. 8
Ada 7
Clara 7
Helen 7
Susan 7
Amelia 6
Kate 6
Lucy 6
Martha 6
Rachel 6
Ethel 5
Georgina 5
Josephine 5
Mabel 5
Maria 5
Minnie 5
Adelaide 4
Bessie 4
Gertrude 4
Julia 4
Lilian 4
Louisa 4
Maggie 4
Marian 4
Rebecca 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 138
James 112
William 100
George 52
Thomas 51
Robert 50
Henry 27
Joseph 26
Charles 25
Richard 20
Andrew 17
Samuel 17
Alexander 15
Walter 14
Alfred 13
David 12
Edward 12
Archibald 11
Arthur 10
Frederick 10
Wm. 9
Peter 8
Daniel 7
Francis 6
Frank 6
Patrick 6
Donald 5
Geo. 5
Harry 5
Robt. 5
Thos. 5
Albert 4
Herbert 4
Hugh 4
Jas. 4
Michael 4
Anthony 3
Bertram 3
Duncan 3
Edwin 3
Isaac 3
Philip 3
Ralph 3
Alexdr. 2
Alexr. 2
Bernard 2
Mark 2
Matthew 2
Milton 2
Oswald 2

FAQ

Currie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Currie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 8,467 people were recorded with the Currie surname. That placed it at #501 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Currie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 12,501 in 2016. That gives Currie a modern rank of #517.

What does the Currie surname mean?

Derived from the Scottish place name Currie, likely referring to a settlement near a marshland or bog.

What does the Currie map show?

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