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

Curtis, 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 Curtis surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Curtis in America

Curtis is the 309th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Curtis surname appeared 101,801 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 35 people would have the surname Curtis.

We can also compare 2010 data for Curtis 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 Curtis

The surname Curtis originated in England in the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word 'curt', meaning 'short' or 'brief'. It was likely used as a descriptive nickname for someone of short stature or brief speech.

The earliest recorded instance of the name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'Curte'. This suggests the name was already established in England by the late 11th century. Variations in the early spelling include Curt, Curtes, and Curteis.

By the 13th century, the name had evolved to its modern form, Curtis. It is found in various records from this period, such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which lists a John Curtis in Oxfordshire.

One of the earliest notable bearers of the name was William Curtis, a 15th-century English botanist and entomologist (c. 1446-1499). He is considered one of the founding fathers of the scientific study of insects.

Another notable figure was Sir Roger Curtis (1573-1638), an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament and Chief Justice of the Grand Sessions in Wales.

In the 17th century, the name was associated with several prominent individuals, including Edward Curtis (1630-1677), an English lawyer and judge, and Samuel Curtis (1619-1687), an English minister and religious writer.

During the 18th century, the Curtis surname was linked to several places in England, including Curtis Farm in Berkshire and Curtis Green in Worcestershire. This suggests the name may have derived from these locations in some instances.

One of the most famous bearers of the Curtis name was the American photographer Edward Sheriff Curtis (1868-1952), renowned for his extensive documentation of Native American cultures and traditions.

Throughout its history, the Curtis surname has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, politicians, artists, and religious figures. Despite its origins as a descriptive nickname, it has become a well-established surname with a long and diverse history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Curtis

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

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

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

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