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

Curry, 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 Curry surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Curry in America

Curry is the 436th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Curry surname appeared 74,919 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 25 people would have the surname Curry.

We can also compare 2010 data for Curry 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 Curry

The surname Curry is believed to have originated in Ireland and England, derived from the Old Norman word "cuire" which means "kitchen" or "cooking place." It is thought to have been an occupational surname given to those who worked as cooks or in the kitchens of wealthy households or castles.

The earliest known record of the name Curry dates back to the 13th century in England. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 mentions a Roger le Curye from Buckinghamshire. In Ireland, the name is found in the Annals of the Four Masters from the 14th century, referring to a family named O'Curaidh from County Cork.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Sir John Curry, a prominent English soldier and diplomat who served under King Edward III in the 14th century. He was knighted for his bravery in the Battle of Crécy during the Hundred Years' War.

In the 16th century, the Curry family held lands in County Sligo, Ireland, and were considered part of the Gaelic aristocracy. One notable member was Teige O'Curry, a leader of the O'Curry clan who fought against English forces during the Nine Years' War in the late 16th century.

During the English Civil War in the 17th century, Colonel Egbert Curry was a prominent Royalist officer who fought for King Charles I. He was later appointed Governor of Suriname in South America by King Charles II.

In the 18th century, Sir Montagu Curry was a British naval officer and explorer who served in the Royal Navy. He is known for his voyages to the South Pacific and his mapping of the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia.

Another notable bearer of the name was James Curry, an American Revolutionary War soldier and frontiersman. He served in the Continental Army and later settled in Tennessee, where he became a prominent figure in the state's early history.

The name Curry has also been associated with various place names, such as Curryhill in County Sligo, Ireland, and Curryville in Pennsylvania, United States. These places were likely named after early settlers or landowners with the surname Curry.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Curry

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

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

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

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