2000
#3,326
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 9,870
First available Census row
Per 100,000 3.66
Uncommon Last name
Currier
An occupational surname for one who curries (dresses or prepares) leather or works as a currier.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 11,388 Americans carry the last name Currier. That puts it at #3,501 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.32 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 30,098 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Currier surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Currier with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
11K
1 in 30,098
Census rank
#3,501
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
9.9K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 9,931 bearers of the surname Currier in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.32 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3501st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Currier, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.5%) and Hispanic (3.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Currier
The surname Currier has its origins in medieval England, deriving from the Old French word "corier," which referred to a skilled leather worker or tanner. This occupational surname emerged during the 11th century, when the practice of adopting hereditary surnames began to spread across Europe.
The earliest documented instances of the Currier surname can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and populations undertaken by William the Conqueror. This record includes several references to individuals bearing variations of the name, such as William le Currier in Lincolnshire and Robert le Curier in Oxfordshire.
As the name suggests, many early Curriers were involved in the leather trade, working as tanners, dyers, or makers of various leather goods. The demand for their skilled labor was particularly high in medieval towns and cities, where the production of clothing, shoes, saddles, and other leather items played a vital role in the local economy.
One notable figure from the 13th century was Simon le Currier, a prominent citizen of London who served as a member of the city's governing council in the 1270s. Another early example is John Currier, a wealthy merchant and landowner from Norfolk, who was born around 1320 and left a considerable estate upon his death in 1389.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Currier surname continued to gain prominence, with several individuals leaving their mark on English history. Robert Currier (1544-1612) was a respected clergyman who served as the Dean of Chichester Cathedral, while Captain John Currier (1598-1672) was a prominent military figure who fought in the English Civil War.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, the name spread beyond England's borders as members of the Currier family ventured to the Americas and other parts of the British Empire. Notably, Nathaniel Currier (1813-1888) was a renowned American lithographer who co-founded the renowned publishing firm Currier & Ives, renowned for their iconic American lithographs and prints.
Throughout its long history, the Currier surname has been associated with various occupations and professions, from skilled artisans and tradespeople to successful entrepreneurs, clergymen, and military figures. While its origins can be traced back to the leather trade of medieval England, the name has since spread worldwide, carried by generations of individuals with diverse backgrounds and achievements.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Currier
Among Census respondents with the surname Currier, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.5%) and Hispanic (3.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Currier bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Currier surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.5% · 9,083
- Two or more races3.5% · 345
- Hispanic or Latino3.3% · 331
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 62
- Black or African American0.6% · 60
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 50
Timeline
Historical Census data for Currier
Currier appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#3,403
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,513
+643 bearers (+6.5%)
Per 100,000 3.56
Rank movement Down 77 places
2020
#3,501
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 9,931
-582 bearers (-5.5%)
Per 100,000 3.32
Rank movement Down 98 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #3,326 | 9,870 | 3.66 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #3,403 | 10,513 | 3.56 | +643 bearers (+6.5%) | Down 77 places |
| 2020 | #3,501 | 9,931 | 3.32 | -582 bearers (-5.5%) | Down 98 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Currier surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,403 | #3,501 | -2.9% |
| Count | 10,513 | 9,931 | -5.5% |
| Per 100K | 3.56 | 3.32 | -6.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Currier bearers went from 10,513 to 9,931 (-5.5% change). The surname moved down 98 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,403 to #3,501.
FAQ
Currier surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Currier?
Name Census estimates that about 11,388 living Americans carry the surname Currier. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 30,098 residents.
How common is Currier?
Currier ranks #3,501 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.32 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 9,931 people with the surname Currier. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (11,388), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.32 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.32 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname Currier.
Has Currier become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Currier went from 10,513 recorded bearers to 9,931. That is a decrease of 582 (-5.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #3,403 to #3,501.
What does the Census say about the background of Currier?
Among Census respondents with the surname Currier, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.5%) and Hispanic (3.3%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Currier in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.5% (9,083 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Currier appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.5%), Two or More Races (3.5%), Hispanic (3.3%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Currier (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Currier mean?
An occupational surname for one who curries (dresses or prepares) leather or works as a currier. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Currier (3.32 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Currier?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.