UK surname
A French surname derived from the Latin "curtus," meaning short or abbreviated.
In the 1881 census there were 48 people recorded with the Curt surname, ranking it #26,869 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 73, ranked #33,502, down from #26,869 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Ealing, Chiswick and Tidcombe. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Curt is 106 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 52.1%.
1881 census count
48
Ranked #26,869
Modern count
73
2016, ranked #33,502
Peak year
1861
106 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Curt surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Curt surname density by area, 1861 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 | 42 | #25,706 |
| 1861 | historical | 106 | #20,147 |
| 1881 | historical | 48 | #26,869 |
| 1891 | historical | 65 | #28,660 |
| 1901 | historical | 74 | #25,958 |
| 1911 | historical | 67 | #26,152 |
| 1997 | modern | 52 | #32,444 |
| 1998 | modern | 53 | #32,633 |
| 1999 | modern | 50 | #33,041 |
| 2000 | modern | 60 | #32,124 |
| 2001 | modern | 55 | #32,482 |
| 2002 | modern | 55 | #32,831 |
| 2003 | modern | 56 | #32,797 |
| 2004 | modern | 58 | #32,880 |
| 2005 | modern | 52 | #33,619 |
| 2006 | modern | 50 | #34,077 |
| 2007 | modern | 45 | #34,699 |
| 2008 | modern | 50 | #34,521 |
| 2009 | modern | 55 | #34,355 |
| 2010 | modern | 61 | #34,143 |
| 2011 | modern | 54 | #34,563 |
| 2012 | modern | 62 | #34,155 |
| 2013 | modern | 63 | #34,193 |
| 2014 | modern | 72 | #33,647 |
| 2015 | modern | 69 | #33,788 |
| 2016 | modern | 73 | #33,502 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Ealing, Chiswick, Tidcombe, Gainsborough, Paddocks and Lambeth. 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 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 2 | Ealing, Chiswick | Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts) |
| 3 | Tidcombe | Berkshire |
| 4 | Gainsborough, Paddocks | Lincolnshire |
| 5 | Lambeth | London (South Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Curt 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 Curt, 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 Curt surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Curt 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, Curt 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 Curt is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Curt, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname CURT is believed to have originated in Germany, where it was derived from the Germanic personal name "Kurt" or "Curt," which means "polite" or "courteous." The name has roots dating back to the Middle Ages.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname CURT can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of medieval documents from Saxony, Germany, where a person named "Curt de Halle" was mentioned in the 13th century. This suggests that the name was already in use during that time period.
In the 14th century, a German knight named Curt von Wulfingen was recorded in the chronicles of the city of Würzburg, indicating that the name was also associated with nobility. The surname Curt may have been derived from the place name Wulfingen, suggesting a possible connection between the name and a specific location.
The Curt surname also appeared in various historical records throughout Europe, including the Domesday Book, a medieval census commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. In this document, a person named "Curt" was listed as a landowner in Lincolnshire, England.
Notable individuals with the surname Curt throughout history include:
1. Johannes Curt (1718-1786), a German philosopher and theologian. 2. Carl Curt Garthe (1744-1841), a German landscape painter and engraver. 3. Benjamin Robbins Curtis (1809-1874), an American lawyer and jurist who served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. 4. Theodor Curt (1822-1888), a German historian and archivist. 5. Benjamin Robbins Curtis (1874-1941), an American lawyer and politician, serving as a U.S. Representative from Kansas.
The surname CURT has also been associated with various place names across Europe, such as Curtisknowe in Scotland, Curtil in France, and Curtilla in Spain, further suggesting its widespread use and geographic distribution.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Curt 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. Lincolnshire leads with 16 Curts recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.38x.
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Heckington in Lincolnshire leads with 10 Curts recorded in 1881 and an index of 3571.43x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Heckington | 10 | 3571.43x |
| Kensington London | 8 | 30.75x |
| Bury St Edmunds St James | 7 | 460.53x |
| Morton In Gainsborough | 6 | 4000.00x |
| Penarth | 5 | 625.00x |
| St George Hanover Square | 3 | 36.36x |
| Bethnal Green London | 2 | 9.84x |
| Pirbright | 2 | 1666.67x |
| Dorchester St Peter | 1 | 454.55x |
| Lee | 1 | 43.10x |
| Poole St James | 1 | 86.96x |
| St Marylebone London | 1 | 4.00x |
| St Michael Winchester | 1 | 500.00x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Curt 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 Curt 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 Curt households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 13 |
| Ag Lab | 3 |
| Laundress | 3 |
| Agricultural Lab | 1 |
| Barrister In Practice M A Cantab | 1 |
| Dress Maker | 1 |
| Gardener | 1 |
| Gardeners Lab (N D) | 1 |
| Greenwich Pensioner | 1 |
| Hotel Clerk | 1 |
| Housemaid | 1 |
| Labourer On Docks | 1 |
| Lawyers Clerk | 1 |
| Mercantile Clerk | 1 |
| Numismatist In Coins | 1 |
| Plumber & Glazier | 1 |
| Right Hon Lady | 1 |
| Servant (Domestic) | 1 |
| Tailor | 1 |
| Wife Of Parish Clerk | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 48 people were recorded with the Curt surname. That placed it at #26,869 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 73 in 2016. That gives Curt a modern rank of #33,502.
A French surname derived from the Latin "curtus," meaning short or abbreviated.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Curt 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.