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Carr Family History

Carr Surname Meaning

Irish: shortened Anglicized form of Ó Carra ‘descendant of Carra’ a personal name from the adjective corr ‘pointed’ explained as meaning ‘spear’. As an Ulster surname Carr was often confused with Scottish Kerr.

Irish: shortened Anglicized form of Mac Giolla Chathair a Donegal name meaning ‘son of Giolla Cathair’ or ‘the servant (i.e. devotee) of Saint Cathar’. Cathar was a priest and bishop otherwise unknown.

Irish: in Galway a shortened Anglicized form of Mac Giolla Chéire see Keary.

English (northern) and Scottish: variant of Kerr.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Carr family from?

You can see how Carr families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Carr family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Carr families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 4,474 Carr families living in Yorkshire. This was about 21% of all the recorded Carr's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Carr families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Carr surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Carr ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Carr. 8% of Carr men worked as a General Labourer and 65% of Carr women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Carr were Incapacitated and Private Means.

View Census Data for Carr | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    8%
  • Builders Labourer
    3%
  • Bricklayer
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    2%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    65%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    2%
  • Private Means
    2%

What Carr family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 983,000 census records available for the last name Carr. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Carr census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Carr

Passenger Lists

There are 104,000 immigration records available for the last name Carr. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Carr immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 158,000 military records available for the last name Carr. For the veterans among your Carr ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Carr military records

You've only scratched the surface of Carr family history

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What is the average Carr lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Carr life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1943, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Carr in 1940 was 42, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Carr

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Carr ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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