NameCensus.

UK surname

Torr

A surname possibly derived from the Old English word "tor" meaning a rocky hill or peak.

In the 1881 census there were 646 people recorded with the Torr surname, ranking it #5,519 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,071, ranked #5,458, up from #5,519 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Basford, London parishes and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cheshire East, Staffordshire Moorlands and Derbyshire Dales.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Torr is 1,116 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 65.8%.

1881 census count

646

Ranked #5,519

Modern count

1,071

2016, ranked #5,458

Peak year

2011

1,116 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Torr had 646 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,519 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,071 in 2016, ranked #5,458.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 977 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Torr surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Torr surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Torr 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 385 #6,225
1861 historical 337 #7,564
1881 historical 646 #5,519
1891 historical 647 #5,998
1901 historical 788 #5,711
1911 historical 977 #4,628
1997 modern 1,043 #5,300
1998 modern 1,097 #5,280
1999 modern 1,092 #5,315
2000 modern 1,085 #5,322
2001 modern 1,066 #5,302
2002 modern 1,072 #5,386
2003 modern 1,061 #5,334
2004 modern 1,083 #5,266
2005 modern 1,056 #5,306
2006 modern 1,052 #5,330
2007 modern 1,072 #5,293
2008 modern 1,071 #5,323
2009 modern 1,081 #5,397
2010 modern 1,113 #5,383
2011 modern 1,116 #5,311
2012 modern 1,090 #5,335
2013 modern 1,100 #5,369
2014 modern 1,104 #5,382
2015 modern 1,094 #5,375
2016 modern 1,071 #5,458

Geography

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Where Torrs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Basford, London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Leek and St Werburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cheshire East, Staffordshire Moorlands, Derbyshire Dales and Derby. 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 Basford Nottinghamshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
4 Leek Staffordshire
5 St Werburgh Derbyshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cheshire East 020 Cheshire East
2 Staffordshire Moorlands 007 Staffordshire Moorlands
3 Derbyshire Dales 009 Derbyshire Dales
4 Derby 026 Derby
5 Staffordshire Moorlands 006 Staffordshire Moorlands

Forenames

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First names often paired with Torr

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Torr

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Torr surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Torr household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Torr 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

Torr is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Torr falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Torr

The surname Torr has its origins in England and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "tor," which means a rocky hill or peak. Initially, the name was likely given as a descriptive name to someone who lived near or on a tor.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, the earliest known record of the name, it appears as "de Tor," indicating that it was used as a locational surname for someone residing near a tor or rocky hill. The earliest known bearer of the name was William de Tor, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Somerset in 1194.

The name Torr is also closely associated with the village of Torr in Somerset, England, which was first recorded in the Domesday Book as "Torre." It is likely that some individuals with the surname Torr originated from this specific location.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Torr was John Torr, born around 1450 in Glastonbury, Somerset. He was a prominent landowner and merchant in the area.

Another notable bearer of the name was Sir William Torr (1570-1634), a successful merchant and Member of Parliament for Bristol in the early 17th century. He was instrumental in the establishment of the Society of Merchant Venturers in Bristol.

In the 17th century, the surname Torr was also found in Scotland, where it was sometimes spelled as "Torrie." One of the earliest recorded individuals with this spelling was James Torrie (1620-1676), a Scottish minister and theologian who served as the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1675.

The surname Torr has also been associated with several place names in England, such as Torr Head in Devon and Torr Works in Somerset, which were named after the local geographical features.

Other notable individuals with the surname Torr include Sir James Torr (1805-1875), a British diplomat and politician who served as the Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the Kingdom of Denmark, and John Torr (1837-1923), a renowned British entomologist and naturalist who made significant contributions to the study of insects and their habitats.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Torr families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Torr 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. Yorkshire leads with 148 Torrs recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.37x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 148 2.37x
Derbyshire 77 7.81x
Nottinghamshire 70 8.24x
Devon 65 4.96x
Middlesex 63 1.00x
Lancashire 61 0.82x
Staffordshire 58 2.73x
Lincolnshire 28 2.78x
Somerset 18 1.77x
Leicestershire 15 2.15x
Surrey 13 0.42x
Cheshire 9 0.65x
Durham 8 0.43x
Gloucestershire 3 0.24x
Shropshire 3 0.55x
Essex 2 0.16x
Warwickshire 2 0.13x
Glamorgan 1 0.09x
Hampshire 1 0.08x
Kent 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Basford in Nottinghamshire leads with 22 Torrs recorded in 1881 and an index of 56.19x.

Place Total Index
Basford 22 56.19x
Ecclesall Bierlow 19 14.96x
Bradnop Cawdry 18 1875.00x
Derby St Peter 16 50.92x
Gorton 16 22.76x
Kirkdale 16 12.72x
Mile End Old Town 14 14.07x
Leek Lowe 13 45.94x
Leicester St Margaret 13 7.63x
Charleton 12 1016.95x
Holy Trinity 11 7.32x
Rawmarsh 11 49.86x
Worksop 11 43.67x
Killamarsh 10 162.87x
Kingsbridge 10 303.03x
Radford 10 23.18x
Clowne 9 229.59x
Islington London 9 1.47x
Kimberworth 9 25.97x
Rotherham 9 25.57x
Ashover 8 162.93x
Aston Cum Aughton 8 156.56x
Coundon 8 105.26x
Derby St Werburgh 8 14.04x
Nottingham St Mary 8 3.64x
Paddington London 8 3.45x
Salford 8 3.64x
Sheffield 8 4.02x
Weston Underwood 8 2105.26x
York St Mary 8 30.94x
Alfreton 7 23.36x
Clarborough 7 110.24x
Grantham 7 53.31x
Kingston 7 686.27x
Kirk Bramwith 7 1842.11x
Lambeth 7 1.27x
Litchurch 7 17.63x
Plymouth Charles The 7 12.11x
Bridgewater 6 21.79x
Burton Upon Trent 6 12.06x
Dodbrooke 6 230.77x
Ermington 6 125.79x
St Andrew Holborn 6 28.09x
Stoke Upon Trent 6 2.66x
Tottenham 6 5.98x
Biddulph 5 41.67x
Bishops Hull 5 152.44x
Chelsea London 5 2.63x
Epworth 5 106.38x
Hammersmith London 5 3.22x
Kensington London 5 1.43x
Nether Hallam 5 5.92x
Pendleton In Salford 5 5.61x
South Hiendley 5 632.91x
Sturton Bransby 5 359.71x
Walcot 5 9.26x
Crowle 4 65.25x
Denton 4 24.14x
East Allington 4 353.98x
Eastham 4 215.05x
Hatfield In Thorne 4 102.56x
Heathylee 4 444.44x
Mansfield 4 13.61x
Romiley 4 102.04x
Rushton Spencer 4 540.54x
Tinsley 4 182.65x
Ulverston 4 18.37x
Upper Hallam 4 73.80x
Adlingfleet 3 714.29x
Bradbourne 3 1000.00x
Bradford 3 8.57x
Brightside Bierlow 3 2.45x
Doncaster 3 6.58x
Edwinstowe 3 148.51x
Great Grimsby 3 4.69x
Halford 3 555.56x
Hook 3 21.83x
Newton Upon Trent 3 441.18x
Snenton 3 8.99x
Sykehouse 3 340.91x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 45
William 36
George 32
Thomas 24
Joseph 17
Henry 14
Charles 13
James 11
Samuel 10
Alfred 8
Walter 8
Arthur 7
Edward 7
Frederick 7
Francis 5
Albert 4
Robert 4
Ernest 3
Lawrence 3
Richard 3
Ben 2
Benjn. 2
Daniel 2
Edwin 2
Elias 2
Elijah 2
Frederic 2
Harry 2
Herbert 2
Isaac 2
Leonard 2
Tom 2
Wm. 2
Adam 1
David 1
Earnest 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Frow 1
Harrold 1
Hugh 1
Jesse 1
Jim 1
Lewis 1
Luke 1
Luther 1
Matthew 1
Nicholas 1
Percy 1
Peter 1

FAQ

Torr surname: questions and answers

How common was the Torr surname in 1881?

In 1881, 646 people were recorded with the Torr surname. That placed it at #5,519 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Torr surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,071 in 2016. That gives Torr a modern rank of #5,458.

What does the Torr surname mean?

A surname possibly derived from the Old English word "tor" meaning a rocky hill or peak.

What does the Torr map show?

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