NameCensus.

UK surname

Kerr

A Scottish and English toponymic surname derived from the Old Norse word "kjarr," meaning "wet ground" or "marsh."

In the 1881 census there were 16,411 people recorded with the Kerr surname, ranking it #235 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 28,455, ranked #193, up from #235 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Beith, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include City Centre East, Paisley Central and Johnstone South West.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kerr is 28,455 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 73.4%.

1881 census count

16,411

Ranked #235

Modern count

28,455

2016, ranked #193

Peak year

2016

28,455 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kerr had 16,411 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #235 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 28,455 in 2016, ranked #193.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 20,802 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Kerr surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kerr surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kerr 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 11,390 #218
1861 historical 11,646 #207
1881 historical 16,411 #235
1891 historical 18,163 #214
1901 historical 20,802 #230
1911 historical 5,486 #950
1997 modern 25,885 #209
1998 modern 26,763 #210
1999 modern 26,782 #212
2000 modern 26,912 #210
2001 modern 26,197 #210
2002 modern 26,729 #210
2003 modern 26,224 #206
2004 modern 26,395 #206
2005 modern 26,441 #204
2006 modern 26,517 #203
2007 modern 26,871 #202
2008 modern 27,113 #201
2009 modern 27,706 #201
2010 modern 28,298 #202
2011 modern 27,782 #203
2012 modern 27,386 #201
2013 modern 27,918 #201
2014 modern 28,330 #198
2015 modern 28,314 #195
2016 modern 28,455 #193

Geography

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Where Kerrs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Beith, Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Greenock and Kilmory. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to City Centre East, Paisley Central, Johnstone South West, Johnstone North East and Toryglen and Oatlands. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Beith Ayr
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Greenock Renfrew
5 Kilmory Bute

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 City Centre East Glasgow City
2 Paisley Central Renfrewshire
3 Johnstone South West Renfrewshire
4 Johnstone North East Renfrewshire
5 Toryglen and Oatlands Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kerr

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kerr

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

Established but Challenged

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

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, Kerr 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

Kerr is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Kerr 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 Kerr 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 Kerr, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Kerr

The surname Kerr originated in Scotland and has been a Scottish name since medieval times. It is derived from the Gaelic word 'ciar' which means 'dark brown' or 'dusky'. This referred to the hair or complexion of the original bearer. The name was initially a descriptive nickname used to distinguish between individuals of the same given name.

The earliest known record of the name dates back to the late 12th century in the Scottish Borders region. A person named Richard Ker was noted in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which documented those who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England after his invasion of Scotland. The name was also recorded as Kerre, Chere, and Cheyres during this period.

In the 14th century, the Kerrs became a prominent family in the Scottish Borders, holding lands and properties in the areas of Roxburghshire, Berwickshire, and Selkirkshire. They gained influence and power, with several members serving as wardens and governors of the Borders region.

One notable figure from this family was Sir Andrew Ker of Cessford, who lived from around 1470 to 1526. He was a powerful Border chief and played a significant role in the conflicts between Scotland and England during that time.

Another famous bearer of the name was Robert Ker, 1st Earl of Roxburghe, who lived from 1570 to 1650. He was a Scottish nobleman and served as Lord Privy Seal of Scotland under King James VI.

In the 17th century, the Kerrs established themselves as a prominent clan in Scotland, with their main seat at Ferniehirst Castle in Roxburghshire. The clan was known for their bravery and loyalty to the Scottish crown.

During the 18th century, the name Kerr spread beyond Scotland as members of the clan migrated to other parts of the British Isles and beyond. One notable figure from this period was John Kerr, 7th Marquess of Lothian, who lived from 1737 to 1815 and served as a British diplomat and politician.

Over time, the name Kerr has been associated with various places and landmarks, such as Kerr County in Texas, named after James Kerr, a Scottish immigrant who settled in the area in the 19th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kerr families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kerr 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. Lanarkshire leads with 3,432 Kerrs recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.66x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 3,432 6.66x
Ayrshire 1,757 14.74x
Midlothian 1,421 6.66x
Renfrewshire 1,124 9.10x
Lancashire 1,026 0.54x
Dumfriesshire 711 20.20x
Angus 453 3.07x
Middlesex 425 0.27x
Stirlingshire 416 7.08x
Buteshire 375 38.84x
Dunbartonshire 331 7.73x
Durham 314 0.66x
Berwickshire 264 13.68x
Roxburghshire 259 8.97x
Cumberland 257 1.87x
Wigtownshire 252 11.91x
West Lothian 235 9.79x
Northumberland 233 0.98x
Argyllshire 232 5.23x
Kirkcudbrightshire 231 10.02x
Sutherland 217 17.71x
Perthshire 195 2.73x
Surrey 192 0.25x
Aberdeenshire 178 1.21x
Yorkshire 171 0.11x
Cheshire 166 0.47x
Fife 159 1.69x
East Lothian 154 7.30x
Inverness-shire 87 1.83x
Selkirkshire 85 5.90x
Kent 79 0.15x
Hampshire 76 0.23x
Essex 62 0.20x
Peeblesshire 52 6.94x
Staffordshire 51 0.09x
Sussex 46 0.17x
Kincardineshire 39 2.01x
Gloucestershire 38 0.12x
Warwickshire 38 0.09x
Caithness 34 1.56x
Worcestershire 34 0.16x
Monmouthshire 32 0.28x
Banffshire 30 0.91x
Glamorgan 28 0.10x
Royal Navy 26 1.37x
Devon 25 0.08x
Leicestershire 25 0.14x
Clackmannanshire 23 1.75x
Lincolnshire 23 0.09x
Morayshire 22 0.89x
Ross-shire 21 0.48x
Derbyshire 14 0.06x
Shetland 13 0.80x
Cornwall 11 0.06x
Nottinghamshire 11 0.05x
Kinross-shire 10 2.48x
Nairnshire 10 2.06x
Dorset 9 0.09x
Isle of Man 9 0.30x
Norfolk 9 0.04x
Channel Islands 8 0.17x
Somerset 8 0.03x
Wiltshire 8 0.06x
Hertfordshire 6 0.05x
Berkshire 5 0.04x
Caernarfonshire 5 0.08x
Denbighshire 5 0.08x
Herefordshire 5 0.08x
Northamptonshire 5 0.03x
Rutland 4 0.34x
Brecknockshire 3 0.09x
Shropshire 3 0.02x
Westmorland 3 0.09x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.02x
Oxfordshire 2 0.02x
Pembrokeshire 2 0.04x
Bedfordshire 1 0.01x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.01x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.03x
Suffolk 1 0.01x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 869 Kerrs recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.82x.

Place Total Index
Govan 869 6.82x
Barony 779 5.97x
Glasgow 590 6.45x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 587 6.84x
Beith 189 53.12x
West Greenock 181 8.17x
Hamilton 154 10.72x
Old Monkland 153 7.48x
Kilmory 152 108.07x
South Leith 144 6.00x
East Greenock 141 12.09x
Liverpool 139 1.21x
Kilmarnock 136 9.58x
Kilbride 135 113.55x
Dundee 133 2.41x
Toxteth Park 130 2.03x
Abbey 127 6.74x
Stoer Assynt 122 160.02x
Paisley Middle Church 118 16.41x
Bothwell 112 8.01x
Kilwinning 111 28.83x
Dalry 110 19.60x
Falkirk 107 7.78x
Ardrossan 106 25.68x
Everton 98 1.63x
Sanquhar 96 77.61x
Paisley High Church 89 9.05x
Liff Benvie 80 3.57x
Stewarton 77 32.64x
Dumfries 74 21.31x
Kilbirnie 74 25.84x
Kirkdale 74 2.33x
Dalmellington 71 20.25x
Bathgate 68 13.05x
Rutherglen 68 9.00x
Ayr 67 11.91x
Barrow In Furness 67 2.61x
Lasswade 67 13.73x
Birkenhead 66 2.35x
Cambusnethan 66 5.77x
Kirkintilloch 66 11.35x
New Monkland 65 4.27x
Forfar 63 7.88x
Stevenston 61 19.63x
Bishopwearmouth 60 1.47x
Paisley Low Church 60 15.35x
St Ninians 60 10.30x
Dumbarton 59 9.90x
Neilston 58 9.36x
Assynt 56 74.84x
Newton On Ayr 55 15.40x
West Derby 55 0.99x
Dundonald 53 12.05x
St Quivox 53 13.15x
Campbeltown 52 9.72x
Troqueer 52 17.19x
Hawick 51 7.90x
Tranent 50 17.54x
Kirkcolm 48 47.34x
Lambeth 48 0.35x
New Cumnock 48 23.22x
Cathcart 47 7.04x
Inveresk 47 8.13x
Blantyre 46 8.58x
Kilbarchan 46 12.26x
Denny 45 14.40x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 45 2.19x
Row 45 8.12x
Cardross 44 8.56x
Dunlop 43 57.80x
Kelso 43 14.95x
Shettleston 43 9.32x
Stirling 43 5.80x
Liberton 42 12.75x
Lochmaben 42 27.23x
Old Cumnock 42 15.82x
Torthorwald 42 77.71x
Cambuslang 41 7.89x
Dreghorn 41 18.99x
Galashiels 41 7.69x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 240
Elizabeth 133
Jane 109
Margaret 106
Sarah 71
Agnes 57
Annie 55
Ann 44
Isabella 42
Ellen 40
Janet 36
Catherine 35
Alice 34
Eliza 24
Martha 24
Louisa 23
Harriet 22
Charlotte 21
Emma 21
Emily 20
Helen 19
Jessie 17
Edith 16
Kate 16
Maria 16
Florence 13
Hannah 13
Frances 12
Caroline 11
Christina 11
Maggie 11
Marion 11
Anne 10
Margt. 10
Esther 8
Eleanor 7
Ethel 7
Fanny 7
Grace 7
Minnie 7
Susan 7
Isabel 6
Ada 5
Catharine 5
Constance 5
Euphemia 5
Hellen 5
Jemima 5
Rachel 5
Susannah 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 240
William 212
James 182
Robert 142
Thomas 121
George 90
Henry 64
Alexander 58
David 45
Charles 42
Walter 35
Andrew 33
Joseph 32
Edward 25
Hugh 24
Peter 19
Arthur 18
Frederick 18
Richard 17
Francis 15
Alfred 12
Patrick 12
Wm. 12
Archibald 11
Daniel 10
Samuel 9
Harry 7
Adam 6
Albert 6
Edwin 6
Frank 6
Michael 6
Robt. 6
Angus 5
Benjamin 5
Herbert 5
Alexr. 4
Ernest 4
Geo. 4
Malcolm 4
Mark 4
W. 4
Willm. 4
Christopher 3
Fredk. 3
Ralph 3
Richd. 3
Thos. 3
Alick 2
Percy 2

FAQ

Kerr surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kerr surname in 1881?

In 1881, 16,411 people were recorded with the Kerr surname. That placed it at #235 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kerr surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 28,455 in 2016. That gives Kerr a modern rank of #193.

What does the Kerr surname mean?

A Scottish and English toponymic surname derived from the Old Norse word "kjarr," meaning "wet ground" or "marsh."

What does the Kerr map show?

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