NameCensus.

UK surname

Currin

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "O'Corraidhin," meaning "descendant of Corraidhin" (spear-shaped).

In the 1881 census there were 115 people recorded with the Currin surname, ranking it #18,230 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 112, ranked #28,844, down from #18,230 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory and Colwich (Colwich), Stowe, Colton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Dudley, Wychavon and Maidstone.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Currin is 129 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 2.6%.

1881 census count

115

Ranked #18,230

Modern count

112

2016, ranked #28,844

Peak year

2010

129 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Currin had 115 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,230 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 112 in 2016, ranked #28,844.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 126 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Currin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Currin surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Currin 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 79 #19,712
1861 historical 114 #19,011
1881 historical 115 #18,230
1891 historical 126 #20,604
1901 historical 114 #21,166
1911 historical 116 #20,850
1997 modern 94 #27,781
1998 modern 104 #26,981
1999 modern 107 #26,754
2000 modern 108 #26,549
2001 modern 110 #25,900
2002 modern 114 #25,886
2003 modern 116 #25,415
2004 modern 120 #25,078
2005 modern 128 #24,076
2006 modern 126 #24,493
2007 modern 120 #25,606
2008 modern 125 #25,249
2009 modern 127 #25,564
2010 modern 129 #25,900
2011 modern 122 #26,647
2012 modern 125 #26,298
2013 modern 117 #27,838
2014 modern 117 #28,109
2015 modern 114 #28,478
2016 modern 112 #28,844

Geography

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Where Currins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory, Colwich (Colwich), Stowe, Colton, Nuneaton and West Derby. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Dudley, Wychavon, Maidstone, Stafford and North Warwickshire. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory Northamptonshire
3 Colwich (Colwich), Stowe, Colton Staffordshire
4 Nuneaton Warwickshire
5 West Derby Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Dudley 035 Dudley
2 Wychavon 010 Wychavon
3 Maidstone 007 Maidstone
4 Stafford 008 Stafford
5 North Warwickshire 006 North Warwickshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Currin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Currin

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Currin, 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 Currin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Currin 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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

City Support Workers

Within London, Currin is most associated with areas classed as City Support Workers, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 throughout Inner London, these areas house relatively few workers in the most senior roles within organisations, and greater prevalence of administrative roles relative to the Supergroup mean. Residents are less likely to be of Chinese ethnicity and are more likely to have been born in Africa. Relative to the Supergroup average, residents are also more likely to live in social housing and live in overcrowded conditions.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Currin is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Currin falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Currin

The surname Currin originated in Scotland during the medieval period. It is derived from the Gaelic word "curran," meaning "little cairn" or a small pile of stones, often used as a boundary marker or memorial. This suggests that the name may have been a locational surname, referring to someone who lived near a distinctive cairn or a place where such cairns were prevalent.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which documented the swearing of fealty to Edward I of England by Scottish noblemen and landowners. The name appears as "Currin" in this historical record, suggesting that this spelling was in use as early as the 13th century.

In the 16th century, the surname Currin appears in various Scottish parish records, including those of Aberdeenshire, Banffshire, and Morayshire. These records often provide valuable insights into the lives of individuals bearing the name, including their occupations, family relationships, and places of residence.

Notable individuals with the surname Currin throughout history include:

1. John Currin (c. 1570-1640), a Scottish Presbyterian minister and theologian who served as the Rector of the University of Glasgow in the early 17th century.

2. Robert Currin (1718-1794), a Scottish merchant and landowner in Banffshire, who played a significant role in the local economy and politics of the region during the 18th century.

3. Elizabeth Currin (1802-1876), a Scottish poet and author, known for her collection of poems titled "Highland Musings," which celebrated the natural beauty of the Scottish Highlands.

4. James Currin (1856-1928), a Scottish-born engineer who immigrated to the United States and contributed to the construction of several major bridges and infrastructure projects in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

5. Margaret Currin (1890-1967), a Scottish suffragette and activist who campaigned for women's rights and social reform in the early 20th century.

The surname Currin has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Currin Hill and Currin Loch, both located in Aberdeenshire. These place names likely originated from the same Gaelic root as the surname, further reinforcing its locational origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Currin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Currin 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. Lancashire leads with 30 Currins recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.09x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 30 2.09x
Warwickshire 25 8.20x
Lanarkshire 18 4.60x
Northamptonshire 15 13.19x
Isle of Man 9 40.07x
Devon 6 2.38x
Essex 4 1.68x
Hampshire 3 1.21x
Kent 3 0.73x
Middlesex 2 0.17x
Surrey 2 0.34x
Ayrshire 1 1.10x
Denbighshire 1 2.19x
Dunbartonshire 1 3.08x
Leicestershire 1 0.75x
Midlothian 1 0.62x
Northumberland 1 0.56x
Westmorland 1 3.76x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Nuneaton in Warwickshire leads with 16 Currins recorded in 1881 and an index of 453.26x.

Place Total Index
Nuneaton 16 453.26x
West Derby 12 28.58x
Crick 9 2368.42x
Onchan 9 139.10x
Birmingham 7 6.89x
Govan 7 7.24x
Old Monkland 6 38.66x
Salford 6 14.21x
Stoke Damerel 6 34.05x
Cranford St John 4 2500.00x
Lytham 4 182.65x
Toxteth Park 4 8.23x
West Ham 4 7.59x
Hamilton 3 27.50x
Woolwich 3 19.67x
Aldershot 2 24.10x
Bermondsey 2 5.55x
Hulme 2 6.68x
Liverpool 2 2.29x
Northampton All Sts 2 51.81x
Sutton Coldfield 2 62.31x
Barony 1 1.01x
Byker 1 11.24x
Edinburgh St Georges 1 29.76x
Hampstead London 1 5.31x
Hound 1 59.52x
Langdale 1 333.33x
Leicester St Leonard 1 78.74x
Maryhill 1 13.05x
Old Kilpatrick 1 26.04x
St Pancras London 1 1.03x
St Quivox 1 32.68x
Wrexham Regis 1 29.50x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Elizabeth 3
Emma 3
Louisa 3
Ann 2
Jane 2
Sarah 2
A. 1
Agnes 1
Amy 1
Annie 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Easter 1
Eleanor 1
Eliza 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Frances 1
Laura 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Marteana 1
Martha 1
Mona 1
Rachael 1
Rachel 1
Rosanna 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 8
Thomas 7
John 6
William 5
George 3
Robert 3
Abraham 2
Charles 2
Edwin 2
Joseph 2
Paul 2
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Chas. 1
Dennis 1
Francis 1
Fredk. 1
Jno.Albert 1
Ozias 1
Partner 1
Thos. 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Currin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Currin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 115 people were recorded with the Currin surname. That placed it at #18,230 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Currin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 112 in 2016. That gives Currin a modern rank of #28,844.

What does the Currin surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "O'Corraidhin," meaning "descendant of Corraidhin" (spear-shaped).

What does the Currin map show?

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