NameCensus.

UK surname

Tarry

A locational surname derived from a place with tar workings.

In the 1881 census there were 994 people recorded with the Tarry surname, ranking it #3,921 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,344, ranked #4,486, down from #3,921 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Yardley Hastings. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Doncaster, Kettering and Daventry.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tarry is 1,465 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 35.2%.

1881 census count

994

Ranked #3,921

Modern count

1,344

2016, ranked #4,486

Peak year

1998

1,465 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tarry had 994 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,921 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,344 in 2016, ranked #4,486.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,454 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Tarry surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tarry surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tarry 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 605 #4,247
1861 historical 566 #4,646
1881 historical 994 #3,921
1891 historical 1,082 #3,898
1901 historical 1,395 #3,606
1911 historical 1,454 #3,318
1997 modern 1,422 #4,090
1998 modern 1,465 #4,135
1999 modern 1,454 #4,183
2000 modern 1,463 #4,140
2001 modern 1,415 #4,183
2002 modern 1,461 #4,152
2003 modern 1,406 #4,214
2004 modern 1,413 #4,189
2005 modern 1,368 #4,270
2006 modern 1,390 #4,220
2007 modern 1,346 #4,363
2008 modern 1,357 #4,358
2009 modern 1,375 #4,391
2010 modern 1,393 #4,416
2011 modern 1,364 #4,449
2012 modern 1,331 #4,479
2013 modern 1,371 #4,445
2014 modern 1,361 #4,495
2015 modern 1,355 #4,468
2016 modern 1,344 #4,486

Geography

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Where Tarrys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Yardley Hastings, Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory and Holcot. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Doncaster, Kettering, Daventry and Northampton. 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 London parishes London 3
2 St Pancras London (North Districts)
3 Yardley Hastings Northamptonshire
4 Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory Northamptonshire
5 Holcot Northamptonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Doncaster 002 Doncaster
2 Kettering 002 Kettering
3 Daventry 010 Daventry
4 Northampton 014 Northampton
5 Daventry 005 Daventry

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tarry

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tarry

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Tarry surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Tarry 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Tarry is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Tarry is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Tarry falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Tarry

The surname Tarry is believed to have originated in England, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 13th century. The name is derived from the Old English word "tarian," which means "to delay" or "to linger." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a nickname to someone who was perceived as habitually tardy or lingering.

One of the earliest documented references to the Tarry surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, a census-like record of landowners in medieval England. The name appears as "Tari" and "Tarrye" in these rolls, indicating the variations in spelling that were common during that time.

In the 14th century, the surname Tarry was mentioned in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, where a certain "John Tary" was recorded as a tenant in 1348. This record provides evidence of the surname's presence in the northern regions of England during the Middle Ages.

The Tarry surname may also have been influenced by the Old French word "tarrier," which means "to tarry" or "to delay." This linguistic connection could suggest that the name may have been introduced to England during the Norman Conquest in the 11th century, although its origins remain rooted in the Old English language.

One notable historical figure bearing the Tarry surname was John Tarry, a British soldier and explorer who lived in the late 18th century (c. 1755-1801). He served in the British Army and participated in various expeditions to the Pacific Northwest of North America, including the Vancouver Expedition of 1791-1795.

Another individual of note was Sir William Tarry (c. 1480-1555), a prominent English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1555. He was also a member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers, one of the oldest livery companies in the City of London.

In the literary realm, the surname Tarry is associated with the English poet and playwright Thomas Tarry (c. 1581-1638), who was active during the Jacobean era. His works included plays such as "The Cryer of Ludgate" and "The Mock Tempest," though few details are known about his personal life.

The Tarry surname has also been found in various place names throughout England, such as Tarry Hill in Berkshire and Tarry Pit in Gloucestershire. These place names likely derive from the Old English word "tarian" and may have influenced the evolution of the surname over time.

It is worth noting that the Tarry surname has been recorded with various spellings throughout history, including Tarrie, Tarry, Tary, and Tarye. These variations reflect the fluidity of surname spellings prior to their standardization in more recent centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tarry families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tarry 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. Northamptonshire leads with 360 Tarrys recorded in 1881 and an index of 39.32x.

County Total Index
Northamptonshire 360 39.32x
Leicestershire 132 12.23x
Middlesex 111 1.14x
Berkshire 76 10.40x
Surrey 57 1.20x
Buckinghamshire 40 6.80x
Kent 29 0.87x
Nottinghamshire 18 1.37x
Hertfordshire 15 2.24x
Shropshire 13 1.55x
Yorkshire 13 0.13x
Cornwall 12 1.09x
Derbyshire 12 0.79x
Dunbartonshire 11 4.20x
Warwickshire 10 0.41x
Essex 9 0.47x
Lancashire 9 0.08x
Bedfordshire 8 1.59x
Cheshire 8 0.37x
Sussex 8 0.49x
Lincolnshire 7 0.45x
Oxfordshire 7 1.16x
Norfolk 5 0.33x
Cambridgeshire 4 0.65x
Devon 4 0.20x
Somerset 4 0.26x
Staffordshire 4 0.12x
Hampshire 3 0.15x
Worcestershire 3 0.24x
Gloucestershire 2 0.10x
Dorset 1 0.16x
Durham 1 0.03x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.52x
Royal Navy 1 0.86x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leicester St Margaret in Leicestershire leads with 83 Tarrys recorded in 1881 and an index of 31.53x.

Place Total Index
Leicester St Margaret 83 31.53x
Northampton Priory St 36 65.53x
St Pancras London 28 3.57x
Bugbrooke 27 900.00x
Duston 23 276.78x
Northampton St Giles 23 65.94x
Northampton St Sepulchre 23 49.38x
Yardley Hastings 17 432.57x
Potterspury 16 435.97x
Deptford St Paul 15 5.86x
Camberwell 14 2.25x
Church Brampton 14 2333.33x
Hackney London 14 2.57x
Humberstone 13 146.56x
Pontesbury 13 127.08x
Holcot 12 960.00x
North Mimms 12 283.69x
Northampton All Sts 12 38.62x
Bulwell 11 38.56x
Chelsea London 11 3.75x
Dallington 11 204.46x
Drayton 11 531.40x
New Kilpatrick 11 44.19x
Steventon 11 357.14x
Wellingborough 11 23.89x
Ecton 10 485.44x
Lambeth 10 1.18x
Pangbourn 10 404.86x
Hurley 9 236.84x
Naseby 9 443.35x
Olney 9 110.57x
Thurlaston 9 505.62x
Woodford Cum Membris 9 459.18x
Appleton 8 418.85x
Aston 8 1.18x
East West Hanney 8 278.75x
Leicester All Sts 8 37.74x
St Luke London 8 5.12x
Staveley 8 29.56x
Abingdon St Helen 7 32.77x
Bethnal Green London 7 1.66x
Boughton 7 648.15x
Buckingham 7 58.48x
Epping 7 89.63x
Frimley 7 51.81x
Harpole 7 252.71x
Old 7 578.51x
Sale 7 26.56x
St Marylebone London 7 1.35x
Stickford 7 432.10x
Thrapston 7 152.17x
Bradwell 6 72.46x
Brighton 6 1.81x
Emberton 6 279.07x
Fowey 6 118.58x
Fulham London 6 4.25x
Harlestone 6 315.79x
Lanteglos By Fowey 6 133.63x
Tilbrook 6 458.02x
Worksop 6 15.42x
Burton Latimer 5 90.42x
Chertsey 5 16.31x
Crick 5 161.81x
Croydon 5 1.90x
Erith 5 15.28x
Kimcote Knaptoft 5 335.57x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 5 11.13x
Kingston On Thames 5 4.39x
Little Houghton 5 294.12x
Stoke Bruern 5 178.57x
Brightwell 4 194.17x
Chapel Brampton 4 512.82x
Chiswick 4 7.52x
Great Creaton 4 380.95x
Hammersmith London 4 1.67x
Newington 4 1.11x
Shoreditch London 4 0.95x
Weedon Beck 4 60.98x
West Haddon 4 134.68x
Whittlesey St Mary St 4 18.57x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 70
John 61
George 35
Thomas 27
James 26
Charles 24
Alfred 16
Joseph 15
Edward 12
Henry 11
Samuel 11
Albert 10
Frederick 10
Walter 10
Francis 7
Frank 6
Richard 6
Arthur 5
Benjamin 5
Ernest 5
Isaac 5
Robert 5
Wm. 5
Daniel 4
Fred 4
Fredk. 4
Geo. 4
Harry 4
Edwin 3
Ambrose 2
Augustus 2
Benjn. 2
David 2
Eli 2
F. 2
Herbert 2
Jesse 2
Jhn. 2
Josiah 2
Mark 2
Timothy 2
Tom 2
Benjm. 1
Bernard 1
Edwd. 1
Elisha 1
Ellis 1
Enock 1
Enos 1
Hy. 1

FAQ

Tarry surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tarry surname in 1881?

In 1881, 994 people were recorded with the Tarry surname. That placed it at #3,921 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tarry surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,344 in 2016. That gives Tarry a modern rank of #4,486.

What does the Tarry surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place with tar workings.

What does the Tarry map show?

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