NameCensus.

UK surname

Urry

A surname derived from a placename based on the Old English word "horu" meaning dirt or mud.

In the 1881 census there were 522 people recorded with the Urry surname, ranking it #6,545 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 566, ranked #9,075, down from #6,545 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Newchurch, London parishes and Alverstoke, Gosport, Rowner. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Isle of Wight, Lewes and Gosport.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Urry is 690 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 8.4%.

1881 census count

522

Ranked #6,545

Modern count

566

2016, ranked #9,075

Peak year

1911

690 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Urry had 522 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,545 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 566 in 2016, ranked #9,075.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 690 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Urry surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Urry surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Urry 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 331 #7,706
1881 historical 522 #6,545
1891 historical 520 #7,194
1901 historical 680 #6,417
1911 historical 690 #6,151
1997 modern 593 #8,219
1998 modern 601 #8,384
1999 modern 614 #8,314
2000 modern 623 #8,207
2001 modern 599 #8,310
2002 modern 591 #8,543
2003 modern 560 #8,717
2004 modern 562 #8,721
2005 modern 539 #8,924
2006 modern 547 #8,855
2007 modern 553 #8,870
2008 modern 567 #8,761
2009 modern 568 #8,944
2010 modern 581 #8,991
2011 modern 593 #8,767
2012 modern 585 #8,763
2013 modern 593 #8,818
2014 modern 584 #8,978
2015 modern 568 #9,068
2016 modern 566 #9,075

Geography

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Where Urrys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Newchurch, London parishes, Alverstoke, Gosport, Rowner, Portsmouth, Portsea and Newport. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Isle of Wight, Lewes, Gosport and Kingston upon Hull. 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 Newchurch Hampshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Alverstoke, Gosport, Rowner Hampshire
4 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
5 Newport Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Isle of Wight 018 Isle of Wight
2 Lewes 001 Lewes
3 Gosport 007 Gosport
4 Kingston upon Hull 024 Kingston upon Hull, City of
5 Gosport 003 Gosport

Forenames

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First names often paired with Urry

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Urry

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Urry, 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 Urry surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Urry 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Urry 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

Urry 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

Urry falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Urry

The surname Urry originated in England and is derived from the Old French word 'hure', meaning a head or a crest. It is believed that the name was initially given as a nickname to someone with a prominent or distinctive head shape.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name is found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1202, where it appears as 'Hurri'. Other early forms of the name include 'Hury', 'Hurry', and 'Hurrie'.

The Domesday Book, compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror, does not contain any direct references to the surname Urry. However, it does mention several place names that may have influenced the development of the name, such as 'Hure' and 'Huri'.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was John Hurry, a landowner from Leicestershire, who was documented in the Subsidy Rolls of 1327. Another notable figure was Sir William Urry, a Scottish military commander who fought in the English Civil War during the 17th century (1600s).

In the 16th century, the name was also found in various records from the county of Norfolk, where it was sometimes spelled as 'Urrey' or 'Urrie'. One such example is Thomas Urry, a yeoman farmer who lived in the village of Wymondham in the mid-1500s.

During the 18th century, the surname gained prominence with the birth of John Urry (1666-1715), an English scholar and editor who is best known for his critical edition of the works of Chaucer.

Another notable bearer of the name was William Urry (1795-1867), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars and later became a political activist and advocate for naval reform.

In the 19th century, the name was also found in Scotland, where it was sometimes spelled as 'Urrie'. One example is Alexander Urrie (1825-1897), a Scottish businessman and philanthropist who founded the Urrie Trust, which provided educational opportunities for underprivileged children.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Urry families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Urry 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. Hampshire leads with 300 Urrys recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.58x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 300 28.58x
Middlesex 48 0.94x
Lincolnshire 39 4.76x
Kent 36 2.06x
Sussex 31 3.59x
Warwickshire 20 1.55x
Yorkshire 13 0.26x
Lancashire 7 0.12x
Nottinghamshire 5 0.72x
Devon 4 0.38x
Dorset 4 1.19x
Surrey 4 0.16x
Royal Navy 3 4.92x
Wiltshire 3 0.66x
Hertfordshire 2 0.57x
Essex 1 0.10x
Herefordshire 1 0.48x
Leicestershire 1 0.18x
Northamptonshire 1 0.21x
Staffordshire 1 0.06x
Suffolk 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Carisbrooke in Hampshire leads with 46 Urrys recorded in 1881 and an index of 315.72x.

Place Total Index
Carisbrooke 46 315.72x
Alverstoke 41 107.92x
Ryde 32 141.91x
Newport 29 509.67x
Northwood 29 193.98x
Ventnor 29 290.58x
Portsea 26 12.64x
St Pancras London 21 5.09x
Aston 20 5.62x
Brading 13 93.19x
Godshill 13 537.19x
Greenwich 13 15.95x
Tonbridge 11 17.45x
Deptford St Paul 10 7.42x
Grasby 9 1250.00x
Whippingham 9 113.21x
Horsham 8 47.70x
Nether Hallam 8 11.65x
Chichester St Pancras 6 232.56x
Great Grimsby 6 11.55x
Shanklin 6 191.69x
Frodingham 5 171.23x
Lewes St John Southover 5 86.21x
Nottingham St Mary 5 2.80x
St George Hanover 5 7.48x
Habergham Eaves 4 7.20x
Hackney London 4 1.39x
Hastings St Andrew 4 129.45x
Kensington London 4 1.40x
Melcombe Regis 4 28.72x
Plymouth St Andrew 4 4.87x
Sculcoates 4 4.97x
Stoke Newington London 4 10.03x
Barnoldby Le Beck 3 810.81x
Freshwater 3 62.50x
Gatcombe 3 750.00x
Kingston 3 204.08x
Lewes St Michael 3 175.44x
Little Bolton 3 3.84x
Rothwell 3 652.17x
Royal Navy 3 5.75x
Saxelby With Ingleby 3 143.54x
Wrawby 3 135.14x
Arreton 2 59.35x
Brighton 2 1.15x
Cabourn 2 645.16x
Canterbury St George 2 95.24x
Holy Trinity Less 2 181.82x
Islington London 2 0.40x
Market Rasen 2 43.67x
Mile End Old Town 2 2.47x
Portsmouth 2 8.27x
Southampton St Mary 2 3.03x
St Lawrence 2 454.55x
St Maryle Wigford 2 31.45x
St Marylebone London 2 0.73x
St Nicholas 2 322.58x
Watford 2 7.31x
Aldershot 1 2.84x
Castle Church 1 9.62x
Dummer 1 147.06x
Dunsfold 1 73.53x
Eling 1 9.41x
Elloughton Cum Brough 1 64.10x
Guildford St Mary 1 32.57x
Lambeth 1 0.22x
Littlehampton 1 14.51x
Lowestoft 1 3.39x
Marlborough St Peter St 1 42.92x
Niton 1 71.43x
Peterborough 1 2.87x
Preston 1 6.63x
Rumbolds Wyke 1 63.29x
St Bride London 1 33.56x
Sutton 1 5.54x
Swindon 1 2.85x
Thorley 1 303.03x
Westminster St John 1 1.60x
Whitchurch 1 30.03x
Yarmouth 1 72.46x

Top female names

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

Name Count
George 28
William 26
John 21
James 15
Thomas 13
Alfred 9
Frederick 9
Henry 9
Robert 9
Albert 8
Arthur 8
Charles 8
Richard 8
Edwin 6
Ernest 6
David 4
Francis 4
Frank 4
Harry 4
Herbert 4
Walter 4
Benjamin 3
Edward 3
Percy 3
Wm. 3
Jas. 2
Sidney 2
Stephen 2
W.M. 2
Allan 1
Andrew 1
Archibald 1
Augustus 1
Barnabas 1
Barton 1
Claude 1
Ebenezer 1
Edgar 1
Eli 1
Eli.R. 1
Elisha 1
Fred. 1
Harriet 1
Jesse 1
Joseph 1
Lionel 1
Nathaniel 1
Oliver 1
Phillipp 1
Samuel 1

FAQ

Urry surname: questions and answers

How common was the Urry surname in 1881?

In 1881, 522 people were recorded with the Urry surname. That placed it at #6,545 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Urry surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 566 in 2016. That gives Urry a modern rank of #9,075.

What does the Urry surname mean?

A surname derived from a placename based on the Old English word "horu" meaning dirt or mud.

What does the Urry map show?

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