NameCensus.

UK surname

Durr

A German occupational surname derived from the Middle High German "türe," meaning a doorkeeper or gatekeeper.

In the 1881 census there were 79 people recorded with the Durr surname, ranking it #22,357 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 203, ranked #19,396, up from #22,357 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Stockport and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Halton, Oldham and Kensington and Chelsea.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Durr is 227 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 157.0%.

1881 census count

79

Ranked #22,357

Modern count

203

2016, ranked #19,396

Peak year

2010

227 bearers

Map years

4

1911 to 2016

Key insights

  • Durr had 79 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,357 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 203 in 2016, ranked #19,396.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 140 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Durr surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Durr surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Durr 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 28 #28,274
1861 historical 56 #26,864
1881 historical 79 #22,357
1891 historical 72 #27,804
1901 historical 82 #25,019
1911 historical 140 #18,657
1997 modern 202 #17,514
1998 modern 222 #16,969
1999 modern 206 #17,905
2000 modern 211 #17,603
2001 modern 207 #17,573
2002 modern 222 #17,147
2003 modern 217 #17,176
2004 modern 214 #17,435
2005 modern 208 #17,687
2006 modern 205 #18,005
2007 modern 206 #18,142
2008 modern 210 #18,052
2009 modern 217 #18,070
2010 modern 227 #17,895
2011 modern 215 #18,379
2012 modern 204 #18,973
2013 modern 209 #18,984
2014 modern 214 #18,825
2015 modern 211 #18,906
2016 modern 203 #19,396

Geography

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Where Durrs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Stockport, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Manchester and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Halton, Oldham and Kensington and Chelsea. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Stockport Cheshire
3 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Halton 012 Halton
2 Oldham 013 Oldham
3 Halton 004 Halton
4 Kensington and Chelsea 012 Kensington and Chelsea
5 Halton 013 Halton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Durr

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Durr

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Durr surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Durr household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Senior Professionals

Within London, Durr is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, 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

These very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Durr is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Durr 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 Durr is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Durr

The surname DURR is believed to have originated in the region of Bavaria, Germany, during the late medieval period, around the 14th or 15th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old German word "durr," meaning "dry" or "arid," which may have been used to describe someone living in a dry or barren area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname DURR can be found in the town records of Nuremberg, Bavaria, where a certain Hans Durr was mentioned as a resident in the year 1437. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by that time.

The name DURR also appeared in various other historical documents from the same period, such as the Augsburg Tax Rolls of 1490, which listed several families with this surname living in the city.

In the 16th century, a prominent figure bearing the name DURR was Johann Durr, a German Protestant reformer and theologian who lived from 1509 to 1584. He was a close associate of Martin Luther and played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation.

Another notable individual with the surname DURR was Christoph Durr, a German painter and engraver who lived from 1592 to 1647. He is best known for his intricate engravings depicting religious and mythological scenes.

In the 18th century, the name DURR was carried by Johann Jakob Durr, a German philosopher and theologian who was born in 1723 and died in 1786. He was a proponent of the Enlightenment movement and wrote extensively on topics such as natural philosophy and ethics.

Moving forward to the 19th century, one prominent bearer of the surname DURR was Gustav Durr, a German industrialist and entrepreneur who lived from 1832 to 1901. He founded the Durr AG company, which became a leading manufacturer of industrial machinery and equipment.

In more recent times, but still within the historical context, the name DURR was carried by Philipp Durr, a German politician and member of the Bavarian Parliament who lived from 1887 to 1962. He was a staunch advocate for the rights of farmers and rural communities.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Durr families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Durr 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 28 Durrs recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.06x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 28 3.06x
Cheshire 20 11.76x
Nottinghamshire 13 12.52x
Warwickshire 6 3.09x
Staffordshire 5 1.92x
Herefordshire 2 6.33x
Middlesex 2 0.26x
Flintshire 1 4.83x
Midlothian 1 0.97x
Yorkshire 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. Stockport in Cheshire leads with 14 Durrs recorded in 1881 and an index of 160.00x.

Place Total Index
Stockport 14 160.00x
Nottingham St Mary 11 40.95x
Liverpool 10 18.01x
Manchester 6 14.60x
West Derby 6 22.44x
Coundon 5 7142.86x
Runcorn 5 127.55x
Hulme 4 20.96x
Stoke Upon Trent 4 14.50x
Linton In Newent 2 833.33x
Radford 2 37.88x
Birmingham 1 1.54x
Cannock 1 22.03x
Edinburgh Canongate 1 38.02x
Holy Trinity 1 5.45x
Limehouse London 1 11.82x
Macclesfield 1 13.23x
Newton In Makerfield 1 35.71x
Salford 1 3.72x
Whitechapel London 1 13.18x
Worthenbury 1 833.33x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

FAQ

Durr surname: questions and answers

How common was the Durr surname in 1881?

In 1881, 79 people were recorded with the Durr surname. That placed it at #22,357 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Durr surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 203 in 2016. That gives Durr a modern rank of #19,396.

What does the Durr surname mean?

A German occupational surname derived from the Middle High German "türe," meaning a doorkeeper or gatekeeper.

What does the Durr map show?

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