NameCensus.

UK surname

Curry

An occupational surname referring to a cook or seller of curry, a spiced dish.

In the 1881 census there were 4,258 people recorded with the Curry surname, ranking it #1,053 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 6,713, ranked #1,006, up from #1,053 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland, County Durham and Gateshead.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Curry is 7,097 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 57.7%.

1881 census count

4,258

Ranked #1,053

Modern count

6,713

2016, ranked #1,006

Peak year

1999

7,097 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Curry had 4,258 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,053 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 6,713 in 2016, ranked #1,006.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,774 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Curry surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Curry surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Curry 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 2,562 #1,154
1861 historical 2,698 #1,090
1881 historical 4,258 #1,053
1891 historical 4,415 #1,070
1901 historical 5,215 #1,076
1911 historical 5,774 #903
1997 modern 6,853 #946
1998 modern 7,044 #960
1999 modern 7,097 #963
2000 modern 7,046 #961
2001 modern 6,883 #967
2002 modern 7,006 #967
2003 modern 6,689 #988
2004 modern 6,724 #984
2005 modern 6,575 #999
2006 modern 6,619 #993
2007 modern 6,679 #991
2008 modern 6,732 #988
2009 modern 6,924 #980
2010 modern 7,085 #977
2011 modern 6,965 #980
2012 modern 6,751 #990
2013 modern 6,835 #996
2014 modern 6,876 #998
2015 modern 6,793 #998
2016 modern 6,713 #1,006

Geography

Back to top

Where Currys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Gateshead and Newcastle St John. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland, County Durham, Gateshead and Newcastle upon Tyne. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Gateshead Durham
5 Newcastle St John Northumberland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 002 Northumberland
2 County Durham 038 County Durham
3 County Durham 040 County Durham
4 Gateshead 021 Gateshead
5 Newcastle upon Tyne 019 Newcastle upon Tyne

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Curry

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Curry

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

Young Families in Industrial Towns

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

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, Curry 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

Curry is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Curry 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 Curry 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 - Irish

This describes the area pattern most associated with Curry, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Curry

The surname Curry is believed to have originated in Ireland and England, derived from the Old Norman word "cuire" which means "kitchen" or "cooking place." It is thought to have been an occupational surname given to those who worked as cooks or in the kitchens of wealthy households or castles.

The earliest known record of the name Curry dates back to the 13th century in England. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 mentions a Roger le Curye from Buckinghamshire. In Ireland, the name is found in the Annals of the Four Masters from the 14th century, referring to a family named O'Curaidh from County Cork.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Sir John Curry, a prominent English soldier and diplomat who served under King Edward III in the 14th century. He was knighted for his bravery in the Battle of Crécy during the Hundred Years' War.

In the 16th century, the Curry family held lands in County Sligo, Ireland, and were considered part of the Gaelic aristocracy. One notable member was Teige O'Curry, a leader of the O'Curry clan who fought against English forces during the Nine Years' War in the late 16th century.

During the English Civil War in the 17th century, Colonel Egbert Curry was a prominent Royalist officer who fought for King Charles I. He was later appointed Governor of Suriname in South America by King Charles II.

In the 18th century, Sir Montagu Curry was a British naval officer and explorer who served in the Royal Navy. He is known for his voyages to the South Pacific and his mapping of the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia.

Another notable bearer of the name was James Curry, an American Revolutionary War soldier and frontiersman. He served in the Continental Army and later settled in Tennessee, where he became a prominent figure in the state's early history.

The name Curry has also been associated with various place names, such as Curryhill in County Sligo, Ireland, and Curryville in Pennsylvania, United States. These places were likely named after early settlers or landowners with the surname Curry.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Curry families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Curry 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. Durham leads with 1,409 Currys recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.32x.

County Total Index
Durham 1,409 11.32x
Northumberland 627 10.07x
Lancashire 334 0.67x
Yorkshire 314 0.76x
Middlesex 277 0.66x
Somerset 162 2.41x
Surrey 120 0.59x
Gloucestershire 111 1.35x
Norfolk 103 1.60x
Devon 96 1.10x
Kent 66 0.46x
Cornwall 55 1.16x
Suffolk 52 1.02x
Cheshire 48 0.52x
Warwickshire 45 0.43x
Cumberland 44 1.22x
Essex 43 0.52x
Lanarkshire 34 0.25x
Leicestershire 34 0.73x
Hampshire 33 0.38x
Glamorgan 31 0.43x
Derbyshire 20 0.31x
Lincolnshire 20 0.30x
Cambridgeshire 19 0.72x
Angus 17 0.44x
Channel Islands 15 1.21x
Sussex 15 0.21x
Isle of Man 14 1.80x
Berkshire 12 0.38x
Renfrewshire 12 0.37x
Staffordshire 12 0.09x
Worcestershire 8 0.15x
Aberdeenshire 7 0.18x
Shropshire 7 0.19x
Stirlingshire 7 0.45x
Berwickshire 6 1.18x
Dumfriesshire 6 0.65x
Monmouthshire 6 0.20x
Argyllshire 5 0.43x
Cardiganshire 5 0.49x
Wiltshire 5 0.14x
Ayrshire 4 0.13x
Hertfordshire 4 0.14x
Royal Navy 4 0.80x
Dunbartonshire 3 0.27x
Midlothian 3 0.05x
Pembrokeshire 3 0.23x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.08x
Dorset 2 0.07x
Westmorland 2 0.22x
Anglesey 1 0.13x
Herefordshire 1 0.06x
Kincardineshire 1 0.20x
Northamptonshire 1 0.03x
Oxfordshire 1 0.04x
Roxburghshire 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bishopwearmouth in Durham leads with 82 Currys recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.67x.

Place Total Index
Bishopwearmouth 82 7.67x
Gateshead 75 8.05x
Westoe 69 9.78x
Chester Le Street 55 57.54x
Elswick 54 10.87x
Tanfield 53 35.81x
Westgate 49 12.71x
Byker 46 14.95x
Framwellgate 42 56.96x
Hartlepool 40 22.61x
Bournmoor 38 194.37x
Heworth 34 13.86x
Liverpool 34 1.13x
Mile End Old Town London 31 3.48x
Toxteth Park 31 1.84x
St Pancras London 30 0.89x
Urpeth 29 119.59x
Camberwell 28 1.05x
Dawdon 28 18.29x
Monkwearmouth Shore 28 11.52x
Allendale 26 45.05x
Birmingham 26 0.74x
Cowpen 25 17.44x
Newcastle On Tyne St 25 7.75x
Houghton Le Spring 24 27.89x
Whitworth 24 26.34x
Bristol St Paul In 23 10.52x
Edmondsley 23 172.67x
Southwick 23 19.51x
Tudhoe 23 21.12x
Wallsend 23 11.65x
Great Lumley 22 103.24x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 22 4.08x
Kensington London 22 0.95x
Monkwearmouth 22 18.47x
New Houghton 22 873.02x
Usworth 22 33.29x
Cornforth 21 57.30x
Longbenton 21 7.96x
North Sunderland 21 147.27x
Taunton St Mary 21 16.99x
Holy Trinity 20 2.01x
Medomsley 20 34.45x
Byers Green 19 54.10x
Clifton 19 4.58x
Foulden 19 287.01x
Seaham 19 41.88x
Tynemouth 19 5.70x
West Derby 19 1.31x
Esh 18 19.87x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 18 4.84x
Pelton 18 30.40x
Knaresborough 17 26.11x
Lambeth 17 0.47x
Oldham 17 1.06x
St Marylebone London 17 0.76x
Collierley 16 28.85x
St George Hanover Square 16 2.17x
West Ham 16 0.88x
Darlington 15 3.12x
Easingwold 15 51.25x
St Helier 15 3.72x
West Herrington 15 34.40x
Islington London 14 0.35x
Lowestoft 14 5.82x
Manchester 14 0.63x
Preston 14 1.05x
Aylestone 13 35.54x
Birkenhead 13 1.77x
Bristol St George 13 3.43x
Brockley 13 833.33x
Crook Billy Row 13 8.16x
Dundee 13 0.90x
Hunwick Helmington 13 43.49x
Monk Hesleden 13 37.47x
Newcastle On Tyne St John 13 15.88x
Tunstall 13 20.98x
Wolsingham 13 11.46x
Worle 13 93.66x
Hutton Henry 12 45.78x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 339
Elizabeth 177
Jane 131
Sarah 123
Margaret 113
Ann 97
Isabella 86
Annie 59
Hannah 53
Eliza 45
Ellen 42
Catherine 39
Alice 37
Emma 36
Emily 35
Frances 21
Charlotte 20
Louisa 20
Martha 20
Anne 19
Maria 19
Caroline 17
Edith 16
Fanny 16
Ada 15
Kate 15
Dorothy 13
Florence 13
Bridget 12
Harriet 12
Sophia 12
Susan 12
Amelia 11
Barbara 11
Margt. 11
Susannah 11
Agnes 9
Harriett 9
Clara 8
Grace 8
Julia 8
Minnie 8
Eleanor 7
Margret 7
Rebecca 7
Amy 6
Esther 6
Ethel 6
Jessie 6
Janet 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 312
William 258
Thomas 180
James 151
Robert 138
George 133
Joseph 85
Henry 66
Charles 41
Samuel 40
Ralph 37
Edward 29
Frederick 27
Richard 26
Walter 26
Alfred 20
Michael 20
Francis 18
Patrick 18
Albert 17
David 17
Ernest 15
Matthew 14
Arthur 13
Mark 13
Thos. 13
Andrew 12
Frank 11
Wm. 11
Edwin 10
Fred 9
Herbert 9
Hugh 8
Luke 8
Christopher 7
Harry 7
Martin 7
Alexander 6
Peter 6
Geo. 5
Mathew 5
Anthony 4
Daniel 4
Adam 3
Edmund 3
Isaac 3
Jno. 3
Josiah 3
Stephen 3
Tom 3

FAQ

Curry surname: questions and answers

How common was the Curry surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4,258 people were recorded with the Curry surname. That placed it at #1,053 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Curry surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 6,713 in 2016. That gives Curry a modern rank of #1,006.

What does the Curry surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a cook or seller of curry, a spiced dish.

What does the Curry map show?

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