NameCensus.

UK surname

Kurt

Of Turkish origin, meaning "wolf" or "brave".

In the 1881 census there were 8 people recorded with the Kurt surname, ranking it #32,581 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 392, ranked #12,052, up from #32,581 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Broxbourne, Hackney and Haringey.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kurt is 392 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 4800.0%.

1881 census count

8

Ranked #32,581

Modern count

392

2016, ranked #12,052

Peak year

2016

392 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kurt had 8 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,581 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 392 in 2016, ranked #12,052.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 49 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Kurt surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kurt surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kurt 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 1 #33,412
1861 historical 49 #27,768
1881 historical 8 #32,581
1891 historical 22 #32,449
1901 historical 5 #33,728
1911 historical 14 #32,045
1997 modern 96 #27,490
1998 modern 110 #26,129
1999 modern 117 #25,362
2000 modern 113 #25,843
2001 modern 115 #25,222
2002 modern 134 #23,492
2003 modern 164 #20,483
2004 modern 188 #18,919
2005 modern 202 #18,016
2006 modern 217 #17,349
2007 modern 247 #16,042
2008 modern 263 #15,505
2009 modern 291 #14,742
2010 modern 311 #14,345
2011 modern 311 #14,260
2012 modern 332 #13,501
2013 modern 352 #13,130
2014 modern 367 #12,801
2015 modern 378 #12,405
2016 modern 392 #12,052

Geography

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Where Kurts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Broxbourne, Hackney, Haringey and Enfield. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Broxbourne 009 Broxbourne
2 Hackney 002 Hackney
3 Haringey 012 Haringey
4 Enfield 033 Enfield
5 Haringey 027 Haringey

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kurt

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kurt

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Kurt surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Kurt 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Kurt is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Kurt 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

Kurt falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Kurt is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Kurt

The surname Kurt has its origins in Germany, where it first emerged in the 12th century. It is derived from the German word "kurz," which means "short" or "brief." The name was likely given as a descriptive nickname to someone of short stature.

In the medieval period, the name Kurt was found predominantly in southern German regions, such as Bavaria and Swabia. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of historical documents from the 12th century, where a person named Kurt von Nürnberg is mentioned.

The name Kurt also appeared in various historical records and manuscripts from the 13th and 14th centuries, including the Codex Traditionum Westfalicarum and the Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburgensis. These records often mentioned individuals with the surname Kurt in connection with land ownership or legal disputes.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname Kurt was Heinrich Kurt, a German scholar and theologian who lived in the late 13th century. He is known for his works on canon law and theology.

In the 15th century, the name Kurt was associated with several prominent figures, including Johannes Kurt, a German mathematician and astronomer born in 1425. He made significant contributions to the field of astronomy and is best known for his work on planetary motion.

Another notable bearer of the surname Kurt was Hans Kurt, a German painter and engraver born in 1480. He is renowned for his religious artwork and woodcut prints, which were highly influential in the Renaissance period.

During the 16th century, the name Kurt was found in various regions of Germany, including the towns of Nürnberg, Augsburg, and Erfurt. One famous individual with this surname from this time was Martin Kurt, a German theologian and reformer born in 1520. He was a prominent figure in the Protestant Reformation and worked closely with Martin Luther.

In the 17th century, the surname Kurt appeared in the records of the Thirty Years' War, where several soldiers and military officers bore this name. One such individual was Johann Kurt, a German general born in 1605, who played a significant role in the latter stages of the war.

Throughout its history, the surname Kurt has been associated with various professions, including scholars, artists, and military leaders. While its origins can be traced back to medieval Germany, the name has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and cultural exchange.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kurt families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kurt 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. Renfrewshire leads with 3 Kurts recorded in 1881 and an index of 49.67x.

County Total Index
Renfrewshire 3 49.67x
Lancashire 2 2.16x
Hampshire 1 6.25x
Lanarkshire 1 3.96x
Surrey 1 2.63x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lochwinnoch in Renfrewshire leads with 3 Kurts recorded in 1881 and an index of 3333.33x.

Place Total Index
Lochwinnoch 3 3333.33x
Liverpool 2 35.59x
Clapham 1 102.04x
Govan 1 16.03x
Holdenhurst 1 238.10x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Hannah 1
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 1
Wm. 1

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 Kurt households.

FAQ

Kurt surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kurt surname in 1881?

In 1881, 8 people were recorded with the Kurt surname. That placed it at #32,581 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kurt surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 392 in 2016. That gives Kurt a modern rank of #12,052.

What does the Kurt surname mean?

Of Turkish origin, meaning "wolf" or "brave".

What does the Kurt map show?

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