NameCensus.

UK surname

Curtis

An English occupational surname for a courteous person or for a maker or seller of curtains or tapestries.

In the 1881 census there were 16,949 people recorded with the Curtis surname, ranking it #228 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 25,977, ranked #218, up from #228 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Blaenau Gwent, Bath and North East Somerset and North Dorset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Curtis is 26,906 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 53.3%.

1881 census count

16,949

Ranked #228

Modern count

25,977

2016, ranked #218

Peak year

1999

26,906 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Curtis had 16,949 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #228 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 25,977 in 2016, ranked #218.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 24,089 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Curtis surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Curtis surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Curtis 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 10,527 #239
1861 historical 9,028 #302
1881 historical 16,949 #228
1891 historical 16,315 #254
1901 historical 21,580 #219
1911 historical 24,089 #179
1997 modern 25,801 #210
1998 modern 26,752 #211
1999 modern 26,906 #210
2000 modern 26,585 #213
2001 modern 26,037 #212
2002 modern 26,515 #213
2003 modern 25,829 #214
2004 modern 25,976 #214
2005 modern 25,394 #216
2006 modern 25,183 #217
2007 modern 25,278 #217
2008 modern 25,350 #218
2009 modern 26,104 #216
2010 modern 26,541 #217
2011 modern 26,270 #216
2012 modern 25,862 #215
2013 modern 26,367 #216
2014 modern 26,565 #216
2015 modern 26,189 #217
2016 modern 25,977 #218

Geography

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Where Curtis' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, St Pancras and Portsmouth, Portsea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Blaenau Gwent, Bath and North East Somerset, North Dorset, Swindon and South Northamptonshire. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Blaenau Gwent 005 Blaenau Gwent
2 Bath and North East Somerset 023 Bath and North East Somerset
3 North Dorset 004 North Dorset
4 Swindon 025 Swindon
5 South Northamptonshire 003 South Northamptonshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Curtis

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Curtis

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Curtis is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Curtis 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

Curtis falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Curtis

The surname Curtis originated in England in the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word 'curt', meaning 'short' or 'brief'. It was likely used as a descriptive nickname for someone of short stature or brief speech.

The earliest recorded instance of the name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'Curte'. This suggests the name was already established in England by the late 11th century. Variations in the early spelling include Curt, Curtes, and Curteis.

By the 13th century, the name had evolved to its modern form, Curtis. It is found in various records from this period, such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which lists a John Curtis in Oxfordshire.

One of the earliest notable bearers of the name was William Curtis, a 15th-century English botanist and entomologist (c. 1446-1499). He is considered one of the founding fathers of the scientific study of insects.

Another notable figure was Sir Roger Curtis (1573-1638), an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament and Chief Justice of the Grand Sessions in Wales.

In the 17th century, the name was associated with several prominent individuals, including Edward Curtis (1630-1677), an English lawyer and judge, and Samuel Curtis (1619-1687), an English minister and religious writer.

During the 18th century, the Curtis surname was linked to several places in England, including Curtis Farm in Berkshire and Curtis Green in Worcestershire. This suggests the name may have derived from these locations in some instances.

One of the most famous bearers of the Curtis name was the American photographer Edward Sheriff Curtis (1868-1952), renowned for his extensive documentation of Native American cultures and traditions.

Throughout its history, the Curtis surname has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, politicians, artists, and religious figures. Despite its origins as a descriptive nickname, it has become a well-established surname with a long and diverse history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Curtis families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Curtis 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. Middlesex leads with 2,417 Curtis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.46x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 2,417 1.46x
Surrey 1,139 1.41x
Yorkshire 1,061 0.65x
Gloucestershire 976 3.00x
Hampshire 862 2.54x
Kent 666 1.18x
Wiltshire 659 4.49x
Norfolk 621 2.44x
Somerset 596 2.23x
Lancashire 577 0.29x
Lincolnshire 574 2.17x
Devon 546 1.58x
Essex 522 1.60x
Dorset 509 4.68x
Cornwall 465 2.48x
Suffolk 411 2.04x
Northamptonshire 359 2.30x
Leicestershire 341 1.86x
Sussex 334 1.19x
Durham 281 0.57x
Glamorgan 265 0.92x
Warwickshire 260 0.62x
Berkshire 254 2.04x
Cambridgeshire 244 2.32x
Nottinghamshire 210 0.94x
Buckinghamshire 207 2.07x
Staffordshire 206 0.37x
Hertfordshire 196 1.72x
Worcestershire 160 0.74x
Bedfordshire 151 1.76x
Oxfordshire 141 1.38x
Monmouthshire 136 1.13x
Derbyshire 107 0.41x
Cheshire 92 0.25x
Northumberland 76 0.31x
Lanarkshire 43 0.08x
Huntingdonshire 42 1.28x
Herefordshire 40 0.59x
Midlothian 35 0.16x
Cumberland 28 0.20x
Royal Navy 27 1.37x
Channel Islands 21 0.43x
Aberdeenshire 20 0.13x
Angus 18 0.12x
Kinross-shire 15 3.58x
Brecknockshire 12 0.36x
Renfrewshire 9 0.07x
Rutland 8 0.66x
Shropshire 8 0.06x
Denbighshire 7 0.11x
Flintshire 7 0.16x
Isle of Man 7 0.23x
Radnorshire 6 0.45x
Carmarthenshire 4 0.06x
Dunbartonshire 4 0.09x
Pembrokeshire 3 0.06x
Banffshire 2 0.06x
Buteshire 2 0.20x
Inverness-shire 1 0.02x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.03x
Morayshire 1 0.04x
Perthshire 1 0.01x
Ross-shire 1 0.02x
West Lothian 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 288 Curtis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.79x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 288 1.79x
St Pancras London 202 1.51x
Lambeth 175 1.21x
Portsea 175 2.63x
Warminster 174 54.16x
Kensington London 167 1.81x
St Marylebone London 137 1.55x
Camberwell 135 1.27x
Battersea 117 1.92x
West Ham 116 1.61x
Hackney London 105 1.13x
Bethnal Green London 104 1.44x
Mile End Old Town London 96 2.72x
Aston 91 0.79x
Leicester St Margaret 91 2.03x
Paddington London 91 1.49x
Newington 88 1.44x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 78 2.55x
Bermondsey 76 1.54x
Southampton St Mary 74 3.46x
Chelsea London 72 1.44x
Hammersmith London 72 1.76x
Great Yarmouth 70 3.32x
Brighton 69 1.22x
Birmingham 68 0.49x
Bishop Stortford 67 17.55x
St George Hanover Square 66 2.26x
Shoreditch London 65 0.90x
Liverpool 64 0.54x
Cheltenham 62 2.47x
Marnhull 61 77.00x
Plymouth St Andrew 60 2.26x
Bow London 59 2.80x
Manchester 59 0.67x
Millbrook 58 6.78x
St Luke London 57 2.14x
Ecclesall Bierlow 54 1.62x
Stoke Damerel 52 2.15x
Walcot 51 3.59x
Sculcoates 50 1.92x
Lewisham 49 1.62x
Brightside Bierlow 48 1.49x
Church Gresley 48 11.62x
Hornsey 47 2.24x
Lansallos 46 113.05x
Talland 46 104.05x
Bristol St James St Paul 45 4.15x
Clapham 45 2.17x
Deptford St Paul 45 1.03x
Tottenham 45 1.70x
Wycombe 45 6.02x
Cirencester 44 10.00x
Lowick 44 196.78x
Basingstoke 42 10.75x
Bedminster 42 1.67x
Poole St James 42 10.27x
West Derby 42 0.73x
Bromley London 41 1.12x
Chertsey 41 7.85x
Leigh 41 244.92x
Nottingham St Mary 41 0.71x
Clerkenwell London 40 1.02x
Clifton 40 2.43x
Heigham 40 2.92x
Leeds 40 0.43x
Holy Trinity 39 0.99x
Bedfield 38 178.07x
Birkenhead 38 1.30x
Mildenhall 38 17.71x
Wolverhampton 38 0.88x
Ipswich St Clement 37 7.21x
Limehouse London 37 2.03x
Croydon 36 0.80x
Lowestoft 36 3.77x
Willesden 36 2.30x
Coedfrank 35 17.50x
Hampstead London 35 1.36x
Paulton 35 28.65x
Sheffield 35 0.67x
Wootton 35 47.23x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 1,037
Elizabeth 665
Sarah 581
Jane 327
Ann 316
Eliza 278
Emma 265
Ellen 255
Alice 252
Emily 238
Annie 206
Louisa 160
Hannah 136
Martha 136
Fanny 119
Caroline 117
Charlotte 113
Harriet 105
Kate 103
Edith 102
Maria 95
Florence 93
Clara 87
Margaret 84
Susan 82
Ada 81
Lucy 79
Frances 71
Harriett 71
Catherine 70
Amelia 59
Julia 58
Anne 57
Matilda 56
Rose 53
Rebecca 48
Agnes 45
Minnie 43
Amy 41
Sophia 40
Bessie 35
Esther 35
Jessie 34
Lydia 33
Beatrice 32
Laura 32
Eleanor 29
Elizth. 29
Susannah 28
Isabella 26

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 1,141
John 833
George 642
Thomas 510
Charles 503
James 491
Henry 430
Joseph 212
Alfred 202
Robert 174
Frederick 171
Arthur 166
Edward 162
Walter 155
Samuel 146
Richard 142
Albert 140
Harry 105
Frank 96
Ernest 72
Herbert 69
Edwin 68
Francis 64
Fred 59
Benjamin 51
David 45
Sidney 35
Stephen 33
Wm. 31
Daniel 29
Peter 29
Tom 29
Fredk. 26
Geo. 25
Thos. 25
Isaac 23
Chas. 22
Fredrick 19
Jacob 16
Mark 16
Philip 16
Jesse 15
Michael 15
Edmund 14
Jas. 14
Percy 13
Amos 12
Edgar 12
Frederic 12
Christopher 11

Top occupations

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 Curtis households.

FAQ

Curtis surname: questions and answers

How common was the Curtis surname in 1881?

In 1881, 16,949 people were recorded with the Curtis surname. That placed it at #228 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Curtis surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 25,977 in 2016. That gives Curtis a modern rank of #218.

What does the Curtis surname mean?

An English occupational surname for a courteous person or for a maker or seller of curtains or tapestries.

What does the Curtis map show?

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