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

Currie, 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 Currie surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Currie in America

Currie is the 2100th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Currie surname appeared 17,234 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 6 people would have the surname Currie.

We can also compare 2010 data for Currie 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 Currie

The surname Currie originated in Scotland and is derived from the Gaelic word 'curaidh', meaning champion or hero. It is believed to have been a nickname given to a notable warrior or chieftain in the early medieval period.

The name can be traced back to the 12th century, with references found in various Scottish records and manuscripts. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which lists several individuals with the surname Currie, including William Currie, a landowner from Perthshire.

In the 14th century, the name appears in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, where it is spelled as 'Currie' and 'Curry'. This suggests that the name may have evolved from an earlier spelling, possibly related to the Old English word 'curi', meaning a noble or valiant person.

The Currie surname is strongly associated with the Scottish Borders region, particularly the areas around Berwickshire and Roxburghshire. Several place names in these regions, such as Currie in Midlothian and Currie Hill in Annandale, are believed to have derived from the surname or vice versa.

One notable individual with the Currie surname was Sir James Currie (1756-1805), a Scottish physician and writer who served as a naval surgeon and wrote a biography of Robert Burns. Another prominent figure was Sir Donald Currie (1825-1909), a Scottish shipping magnate and philanthropist who founded the Currie Line of steamships.

Other notable individuals with the Currie surname include:

1. Archibald Currie (1786-1854), a Scottish merchant and politician from Edinburgh.
2. Euphemia Currie (1829-1912), a Scottish poet and writer from Midlothian.
3. Mary Montgomerie Currie (1843-1905), a Scottish novelist and playwright from Dumfriesshire.
4. Sir Reginald Currie (1899-1981), a British Army officer and recipient of the Victoria Cross during World War I.
5. Walter Currie (1908-1998), a Scottish footballer who played for Rangers F.C. in the 1930s.

While the Currie surname is most prevalent in Scotland and regions with Scottish heritage, it has also spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora communities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Currie

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

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 Currie 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 Currie 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 Currie was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!