Find out how popular the last name Carr is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Carr.

Carr, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Carr surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Carr in America

Carr is the 255th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Carr surname appeared 119,076 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 40 people would have the surname Carr.

We can also compare 2010 data for Carr to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Carr

The surname Carr has its origins in the British Isles, derived from the Old Norse word 'karra', which means a cart or wagon. This name likely originated as an occupational surname for someone who worked as a carter or wagon driver.

The earliest known record of the name Carr dates back to the 12th century in England. It appears in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1194 as 'le Karr'. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 also mention a Robertus Carr in Oxfordshire.

During the Middle Ages, the surname Carr was found across various parts of England, with different spellings like Carre, Carr, and Ker. These variations likely stemmed from regional dialects and the inconsistent spelling practices of the time.

In Scotland, the name Carr was also present, particularly in the Borders region. The Scottish writer and poet, Robert Carr, born in 1575 in Ancrum, Roxburghshire, is one of the earliest notable figures with this surname.

The Domesday Book, compiled in 1086, does not explicitly mention the surname Carr, as it primarily recorded landowners and their manors. However, it does include references to places like Carr House in Yorkshire, which may have been associated with the name's origins.

Other notable historical figures with the surname Carr include:

1. Sir Robert Carr (1586-1645), an English courtier and favorite of King James I.
2. John Carr (1723-1807), an English architect known for designing numerous buildings in Yorkshire and other parts of England.
3. Ralph Carr (1887-1950), an American politician who served as the 34th Governor of Colorado from 1939 to 1943.
4. Emily Carr (1871-1945), a renowned Canadian artist and writer, known for her paintings depicting the indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest.
5. Caleb Carr (born 1955), an American novelist and military historian, best known for his novel "The Alienist".

The surname Carr has also been associated with various place names throughout the British Isles, such as Carr End in Lancashire, Carr Vale in Derbyshire, and Carr Hill in Yorkshire, further indicating its geographical roots and potential connections to early settlements or landmarks.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Carr

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Carr.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Carr was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Carr has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Carr was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Carr, please contact us.

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