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

Marr, 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 Marr surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Marr in America

Marr is the 3341st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Marr surname appeared 10,724 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Marr.

We can also compare 2010 data for Marr 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 Marr

The surname Marr originated in Scotland in the medieval period, derived from the Gaelic word 'màrr' meaning 'prosperous' or 'wealthy'. It is believed to have been initially a descriptive name given to someone who had achieved prosperity or success.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a collection of homage rolls made during the reign of King Edward I of England. The name 'Marr' is listed among the Scottish landowners and nobles who were required to swear fealty to the English king.

In the 14th century, the Marr surname was particularly prevalent in the regions of Aberdeenshire and Kincardineshire in northeast Scotland. The name is also associated with the historic district of Marr, an area known for its fertile lands and agricultural wealth.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners and property commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any references to the Marr surname. This suggests that the name likely emerged later, in the medieval period, specifically in Scotland.

One notable figure bearing the Marr surname was John Marr (c. 1589-1673), a Scottish clergyman and academic who served as the Principal of the University of Glasgow from 1660 to 1673. He played a significant role in the university's development during the turbulent years of the Scottish Reformation.

Another prominent individual was Sir John Marr (1772-1835), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars. He was present at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 and later became a Vice-Admiral in the service.

In the 19th century, Alexander Marr (1828-1904), a Scottish-born Australian politician, made his mark as a member of the Parliament of South Australia and served as the Speaker of the House of Assembly from 1893 to 1897.

The Marr surname has also been associated with notable figures in the arts, such as Carl Marr (1858-1936), a German-American painter and illustrator known for his depictions of Native American life and western landscapes.

Lastly, Edwin Marr (1919-2003), an English football player and manager, had a successful career as a goalkeeper for clubs like Liverpool and Everton in the 1940s and 1950s, before transitioning into coaching roles.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Marr

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

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

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

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