NameCensus.

UK surname

Quarry

An occupational surname derived from the word for a quarry or quarried stone.

In the 1881 census there were 221 people recorded with the Quarry surname, ranking it #12,049 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 260, ranked #16,349, down from #12,049 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kelso, Bedford St Paul and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wolverhampton, South Lakeland and Wirral.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Quarry is 278 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 17.6%.

1881 census count

221

Ranked #12,049

Modern count

260

2016, ranked #16,349

Peak year

1901

278 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Quarry had 221 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,049 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 260 in 2016, ranked #16,349.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 278 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Quarry surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Quarry surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Quarry 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 136 #13,892
1861 historical 154 #14,963
1881 historical 221 #12,049
1891 historical 241 #13,089
1901 historical 278 #12,252
1911 historical 222 #13,992
1997 modern 258 #14,949
1998 modern 264 #15,119
1999 modern 265 #15,187
2000 modern 265 #15,143
2001 modern 254 #15,363
2002 modern 272 #14,930
2003 modern 255 #15,416
2004 modern 250 #15,695
2005 modern 262 #15,182
2006 modern 257 #15,448
2007 modern 272 #14,994
2008 modern 269 #15,260
2009 modern 270 #15,551
2010 modern 268 #15,978
2011 modern 278 #15,390
2012 modern 264 #15,904
2013 modern 269 #15,963
2014 modern 269 #16,059
2015 modern 265 #16,139
2016 modern 260 #16,349

Geography

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Where Quarrys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kelso, Bedford St Paul, London parishes, St. Boswells and Wavendon, Aspley Guise. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wolverhampton, South Lakeland and Wirral. 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 Kelso Roxburgh
2 Bedford St Paul Bedfordshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 St. Boswells Roxburgh
5 Wavendon, Aspley Guise Buckinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wolverhampton 028 Wolverhampton
2 South Lakeland 005 South Lakeland
3 Wirral 016 Wirral
4 Wolverhampton 018 Wolverhampton
5 Wolverhampton 026 Wolverhampton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Quarry

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Quarry

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Quarry surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Quarry household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Quarry 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.

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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

Quarry is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Quarry falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Quarry

The surname Quarry originated in England during the medieval period, derived from the Old English word "quarrere" or "quarrour," which referred to a person who worked in a stone quarry. The name is occupational in nature, indicating the trade or profession of the original bearer.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various historical documents from the 13th century onwards. One notable example is John le Quarrour, mentioned in the Feet of Fines for Sussex in 1292. Another early record is that of William le Quarrere, listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Staffordshire in 1327.

Over time, the surname evolved and took on various spellings, including Quarry, Quarrie, Quarrey, and Quarrier. These variations likely emerged due to regional dialects and the inconsistent spelling practices of the time.

In the 16th century, the name appeared in the parish records of several counties, such as Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Somerset. One notable individual from this period was Robert Quarry, who was born in Lincolnshire around 1580 and later became a renowned Protestant writer and clergyman.

The Quarry surname also has connections to certain place names in England. For instance, the village of Quarry Bank in Staffordshire may have derived its name from the nearby quarrying activities, suggesting a possible link to the surname's origins.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the Quarry surname. One such figure was John Quarry, an English merchant and politician who lived in the 17th century and served as the Mayor of Newcastle upon Tyne in 1655.

Another prominent bearer of the name was Sir John Quarry, born in 1703, who was a British naval officer and Member of Parliament. He achieved distinction for his service in the Royal Navy during the War of the Austrian Succession.

In the literary world, James Quarry, a Scottish writer and editor born in 1776, gained recognition for his work on the "Transactions of the Royal Scottish Society of Arts" and other publications.

Moving into the 19th century, John Quarry, born in 1809, was a renowned English architect who designed several notable buildings, including the Walthamstow Parish Church and the Church of St. Andrew in Hertfordshire.

Lastly, one cannot overlook the contributions of Ralph Quarry, a British artist and illustrator born in 1859, whose works graced the pages of numerous publications and books during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Quarry families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Quarry 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 51 Quarrys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.33x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 51 2.33x
Staffordshire 46 6.24x
Roxburghshire 32 80.85x
Bedfordshire 16 14.14x
Warwickshire 14 2.54x
Hertfordshire 10 6.64x
Cheshire 9 1.87x
Durham 6 0.92x
Monmouthshire 6 3.80x
Norfolk 6 1.79x
Cambridgeshire 5 3.61x
West Lothian 5 15.20x
Lancashire 4 0.15x
Herefordshire 3 3.35x
Isle of Man 3 7.39x
Berwickshire 2 7.56x
Yorkshire 2 0.09x
Devon 1 0.22x
Lanarkshire 1 0.14x
Leicestershire 1 0.41x
Surrey 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kingswinford in Staffordshire leads with 39 Quarrys recorded in 1881 and an index of 145.63x.

Place Total Index
Kingswinford 39 145.63x
Birmingham 14 7.62x
Shoreditch London 14 14.78x
St Pancras London 11 6.25x
Bedford St Mary 9 309.28x
Birkenhead 9 23.41x
Bushey 8 222.84x
Kelso 8 203.05x
St Boswells 8 1111.11x
Bedford St Paul 7 90.21x
Bedwellty 6 21.51x
Esh 6 126.85x
Harrow 6 179.64x
Sprouston 6 779.22x
Stoke Upon Trent 6 7.67x
Boness 5 110.13x
Ealing 5 25.60x
Foulmire 5 1219.51x
Hampstead London 5 14.69x
Hawick 5 56.43x
Everton 3 3.63x
Yetholm 3 384.62x
Hackney London 2 1.63x
Heigham 2 11.09x
Makerston 2 714.29x
Maughold 2 63.90x
Mertoun 2 392.16x
St George Hanover 2 7.01x
St George In East 2 13.46x
St Luke London 2 5.71x
Abbey Dore 1 250.00x
Bale 1 588.24x
Bridge Sollars 1 2000.00x
Bromley London 1 2.08x
Castleford 1 12.69x
Diss 1 34.72x
Dorstone 1 303.03x
Elstree 1 200.00x
Heston 1 13.77x
Kimberworth 1 8.32x
Newington 1 1.24x
Oadby 1 76.92x
Rushen 1 36.50x
Shettleston 1 15.80x
Topsham 1 46.51x
Trowse Cum Newton 1 120.48x
Watford 1 8.56x
Watton 1 94.34x
West Derby 1 1.32x
Wolstanton Oldcott 1 37.45x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 13
William 8
George 6
James 6
Thomas 5
Charles 4
Harry 4
Henry 4
Alexander 3
David 3
Edward 3
Francis 3
Joseph 3
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Mark 2
Richard 2
Adam 1
Albert 1
Clarke 1
Claud 1
Daniel 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Jackson 1
Jas. 1
Job 1
Michael 1
Pythagoras 1
Sampson 1
Samuel 1
Squire 1

FAQ

Quarry surname: questions and answers

How common was the Quarry surname in 1881?

In 1881, 221 people were recorded with the Quarry surname. That placed it at #12,049 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Quarry surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 260 in 2016. That gives Quarry a modern rank of #16,349.

What does the Quarry surname mean?

An occupational surname derived from the word for a quarry or quarried stone.

What does the Quarry map show?

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