UK surname
A Scottish or Irish topographical surname referring to someone who lived near a marsh or bog.
In the 1881 census there were 71 people recorded with the Karr surname, ranking it #23,517 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 61, ranked #34,287, down from #23,517 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Old or West Kilpatrick, Tranent and Kilbride. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Karr is 219 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 14.1%.
1881 census count
71
Ranked #23,517
Modern count
61
2016, ranked #34,287
Peak year
1861
219 bearers
Map years
2
1851 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Karr surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Karr 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 | 133 | #14,106 |
| 1861 | historical | 219 | #11,124 |
| 1881 | historical | 71 | #23,517 |
| 1891 | historical | 54 | #29,849 |
| 1901 | historical | 84 | #24,759 |
| 1911 | historical | 32 | #29,838 |
| 1997 | modern | 32 | #34,472 |
| 1998 | modern | 34 | #34,433 |
| 1999 | modern | 38 | #34,142 |
| 2000 | modern | 36 | #34,317 |
| 2001 | modern | 33 | #34,436 |
| 2002 | modern | 33 | #34,717 |
| 2003 | modern | 34 | #34,681 |
| 2004 | modern | 37 | #34,640 |
| 2005 | modern | 40 | #34,562 |
| 2006 | modern | 38 | #35,003 |
| 2007 | modern | 38 | #35,153 |
| 2008 | modern | 37 | #35,327 |
| 2009 | modern | 45 | #34,972 |
| 2010 | modern | 50 | #34,833 |
| 2011 | modern | 44 | #35,161 |
| 2012 | modern | 50 | #34,814 |
| 2013 | modern | 54 | #34,666 |
| 2014 | modern | 57 | #34,556 |
| 2015 | modern | 58 | #34,470 |
| 2016 | modern | 61 | #34,287 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Old or West Kilpatrick, Tranent, Kilbride, North Meols and Bonhill. 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 | Old or West Kilpatrick | Dunbarton |
| 2 | Tranent | Haddington |
| 3 | Kilbride | Bute |
| 4 | North Meols | Lancashire |
| 5 | Bonhill | Dunbarton |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Karr 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 Karr, 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 Karr surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Karr 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, Karr 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 Karr is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Karr, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname "Karr" is of ancient German origin, derived from the Old German word "karra," which means "cart" or "wagon." It is believed to have originated as an occupational name for a carter or wagon driver during the medieval period.
The earliest known record of the name "Karr" dates back to the 13th century in the region of Bavaria, where it was spelled as "Karrer." In those times, surnames were often derived from one's occupation, and the name likely referred to someone who transported goods or provided transportation services.
One of the earliest documented instances of the name "Karr" can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of historical documents from Saxony, where a certain "Heinrich Karrer" is mentioned in a land transaction dated 1284.
In the 14th century, the name spread to other parts of Germany, and variations such as "Karrer," "Karrer," and "Karre" began to appear in records. One notable bearer of the name during this period was Johannes Karrer, a prominent merchant and landowner in Nuremberg, who lived from around 1350 to 1420.
As the name spread across Europe, it underwent several transformations in spelling and pronunciation. In England, for instance, the name was anglicized to "Karr" or "Carr," and the earliest known bearer of this variant was William Carr, a landowner in Yorkshire, who was mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086.
Another significant figure in the history of the "Karr" surname was Sir Robert Carr, an English courtier and favorite of King James I, who lived from 1586 to 1645. He was known for his involvement in various political intrigues and scandals during the Jacobean era.
In the 18th century, the name "Karr" gained prominence in Scotland, where several notable individuals bore the surname. One such person was Sir John Carr, a Scottish travel writer and author of "The Stranger in France" and "The Stranger in Ireland," who lived from 1772 to 1832.
In more recent times, the name "Karr" has been associated with several notable figures, including American author and journalist Mary Karr, born in 1955, and American baseball player Steve Karr, who played for the Detroit Tigers and the New York Mets in the 1980s and 1990s.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Karr 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. Lanarkshire leads with 15 Karrs recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.70x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Lanarkshire | 15 | 6.70x |
| Lancashire | 14 | 1.70x |
| Leicestershire | 8 | 10.42x |
| Middlesex | 8 | 1.16x |
| Dunbartonshire | 7 | 37.61x |
| Aberdeenshire | 5 | 7.80x |
| Midlothian | 5 | 5.39x |
| Angus | 2 | 3.12x |
| Hampshire | 2 | 1.41x |
| Argyllshire | 1 | 5.19x |
| Durham | 1 | 0.49x |
| Royal Navy | 1 | 12.12x |
| Sussex | 1 | 0.86x |
| Westmorland | 1 | 6.57x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. North Meols in Lancashire leads with 7 Karrs recorded in 1881 and an index of 87.06x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| North Meols | 7 | 87.06x |
| Aberdeen St Nicholas | 5 | 41.67x |
| Leicester St Margaret | 5 | 26.71x |
| West Calder | 5 | 273.22x |
| Bothwell | 4 | 65.90x |
| Chelsea London | 4 | 19.18x |
| Dumbarton | 4 | 154.44x |
| New Monkland | 4 | 60.42x |
| Barony | 3 | 5.29x |
| Castle Donnington | 3 | 468.75x |
| Salford | 3 | 12.42x |
| Bonhill | 2 | 66.89x |
| Paddington London | 2 | 7.86x |
| Alverstoke | 1 | 19.46x |
| Blantyre | 1 | 42.92x |
| Cardross | 1 | 44.84x |
| Cuckfield | 1 | 84.75x |
| Ditton | 1 | 294.12x |
| Dundee | 1 | 4.18x |
| Elvet | 1 | 67.11x |
| Glasgow | 1 | 2.52x |
| Great Bolton | 1 | 9.19x |
| Hamilton | 1 | 16.00x |
| Levens | 1 | 454.55x |
| Monifieth | 1 | 44.05x |
| Royal Navy | 1 | 14.18x |
| St Mary Extra | 1 | 87.72x |
| St Marylebone London | 1 | 2.70x |
| St Pancras London | 1 | 1.79x |
| Stonehouse | 1 | 131.58x |
| Strachur Stralachlan | 1 | 625.00x |
| Warrington | 1 | 10.27x |
| Withington | 1 | 37.74x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Karr 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 Karr 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 Karr households.
FAQ
In 1881, 71 people were recorded with the Karr surname. That placed it at #23,517 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 61 in 2016. That gives Karr a modern rank of #34,287.
A Scottish or Irish topographical surname referring to someone who lived near a marsh or bog.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Karr 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.