NameCensus.

UK surname

Starrs

A topographic surname derived from Old English referring to someone living near a path or road.

In the 1881 census there were 62 people recorded with the Starrs surname, ranking it #24,843 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 374, ranked #12,490, up from #24,843 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to New Monkland, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Glasgow. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Townhead, Lennoxtown and Blantytre North and Coatshill.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Starrs is 374 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 503.2%.

1881 census count

62

Ranked #24,843

Modern count

374

2016, ranked #12,490

Peak year

2016

374 bearers

Map years

4

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Starrs had 62 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #24,843 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 374 in 2016, ranked #12,490.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 163 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Starrs surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Starrs surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Starrs 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 13 #30,970
1861 historical 15 #31,942
1881 historical 62 #24,843
1891 historical 95 #24,694
1901 historical 163 #17,205
1911 historical 26 #30,547
1997 modern 319 #13,000
1998 modern 327 #13,126
1999 modern 327 #13,209
2000 modern 326 #13,188
2001 modern 326 #13,006
2002 modern 327 #13,217
2003 modern 311 #13,501
2004 modern 315 #13,450
2005 modern 327 #13,011
2006 modern 337 #12,810
2007 modern 342 #12,809
2008 modern 351 #12,661
2009 modern 351 #12,940
2010 modern 348 #13,304
2011 modern 360 #12,832
2012 modern 351 #12,942
2013 modern 360 #12,890
2014 modern 369 #12,745
2015 modern 372 #12,544
2016 modern 374 #12,490

Geography

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Where Starrs' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around New Monkland, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Glasgow, Cambusnethan and Wallsend. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Townhead, Lennoxtown, Blantytre North and Coatshill, Armadale and Barnet. 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 New Monkland Lanark
2 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
3 Glasgow Lanark
4 Cambusnethan Lanark
5 Wallsend Northumberland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Townhead North Lanarkshire
2 Lennoxtown East Dunbartonshire
3 Blantytre North and Coatshill South Lanarkshire
4 Armadale West Lothian
5 Barnet 006 Barnet

Forenames

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First names often paired with Starrs

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Starrs

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Starrs, 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 Starrs surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Starrs 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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Starrs is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Starrs 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

Starrs 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 Starrs 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Starrs

The surname Starrs has its origins in Scotland, where it first emerged in the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "stær," meaning a starling or a small bird. This suggests that the name may have initially been a nickname given to someone who had some association with starlings or who perhaps shared characteristics with these birds.

The earliest recorded instances of the Starrs name can be found in various Scottish records from the 13th and 14th centuries. One notable example is a mention of a John Stare in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which documented those who swore fealty to King Edward I of England.

In the 16th century, the name appeared in various spellings, including Stair, Staire, Stare, and Starr, reflecting the inconsistent spelling practices of the time. The Starrs surname was particularly prevalent in the regions of Ayrshire and Lanarkshire, where it is believed to have originated.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Starrs name was Sir Walter Starr, who lived in the late 14th century and was a prominent Scottish knight. Another notable figure was James Stair (1619-1695), a Scottish lawyer and philosopher who served as Lord President of the Court of Session.

In the 17th century, the Starrs name gained further prominence with the birth of Robert Starrs (1636-1704), a Scottish mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics. His work on the motion of the Earth around the Sun helped pave the way for the development of modern astronomy.

The 18th century saw the birth of another notable Starrs, William Starrs (1743-1819), a Scottish poet and song collector. He is best known for his collection of Scottish ballads and folk songs, which helped preserve and promote Scotland's rich cultural heritage.

As the Starrs family spread throughout Scotland and beyond, the name continued to be associated with various professions and achievements. In the 19th century, David Starrs (1821-1897) was a Scottish-American businessman and philanthropist who made his fortune in the textile industry and founded several educational institutions in the United States.

Over the centuries, the Starrs surname has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, each contributing to the rich tapestry of Scottish and global history in their own unique ways.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Starrs families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Starrs 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 25 Starrs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.78x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 25 12.78x
Angus 9 16.07x
Lancashire 9 1.25x
Dunbartonshire 6 36.92x
Durham 6 3.34x
Bedfordshire 5 15.97x
Cumberland 2 3.84x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 20 Starrs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 40.40x.

Place Total Index
Barony 20 40.40x
Dundee 9 43.04x
Cumbernauld 6 674.16x
Trimdon 6 937.50x
Leighton Buzzard 5 370.37x
New Monkland 5 86.51x
Pendleton In Salford 5 58.48x
Liverpool 3 6.88x
Arlecdon 2 144.93x
Skelmersdale 1 83.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Catherine 3
Mary 3
Sarah 2
Eliza 1
Elizabeth 1
Florence 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 3
Thomas 2
Charles 1
Edward 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Joseph 1
William 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 Starrs households.

FAQ

Starrs surname: questions and answers

How common was the Starrs surname in 1881?

In 1881, 62 people were recorded with the Starrs surname. That placed it at #24,843 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Starrs surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 374 in 2016. That gives Starrs a modern rank of #12,490.

What does the Starrs surname mean?

A topographic surname derived from Old English referring to someone living near a path or road.

What does the Starrs map show?

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