Explore the Family Name Carr
The meaning of Carr
1. 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. 2. 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. 3. Irish: in Galway, a shortened Anglicized form of Mac Giolla Chéire, see Keary. 4. English (northern) and Scottish: variant of Kerr.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Carr in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Carr has experienced slight changes over a decade. In 2000, it was ranked as the 239th most popular surname and by 2010, it fell to the 255th position, indicating a decrease in rank by 6.69%. Despite this drop in ranking, the actual number of people bearing the Carr surname increased from 113,892 in 2000 to 119,076 in 2010, representing a 4.55% rise. However, when evaluated against the general population per 100,000 individuals, there was a slight decline from 42.22 in 2000 to 40.37 in 2010, marking a 4.38% reduction.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #239 | #255 | -6.69% |
| Count | 113,892 | 119,076 | 4.55% |
| Proportion per 100k | 42.22 | 40.37 | -4.38% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Carr
In terms of ethnicity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows diverse identities associated with the Carr surname over ten years. The percentage of those identifying as White decreased from 75.79% in 2000 to 73.61% in 2010. Conversely, there were increases in other ethnic groups: Asian/Pacific Islander rose by 36.11%, accounting for 0.49% of Carr bearers in 2010; those identifying as two or more races also saw a boost of 30%, making up 2.08% in 2010. Hispanic holders of the surname Carr increased by 47.85%, reaching 2.41% by 2010. Meanwhile, Black carriers slightly rose by 3.74% to 20.82% in 2010; and American Indian and Alaskan Natives recorded a minor increase to 0.59%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 75.79% | 73.61% | -2.88% |
| Black | 20.07% | 20.82% | 3.74% |
| Hispanic | 1.63% | 2.41% | 47.85% |
| Two or More Races | 1.6% | 2.08% | 30% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.56% | 0.59% | 5.36% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.36% | 0.49% | 36.11% |
Carr ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Carr is British & Irish, which comprises 53.0% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (21.8%) and Eastern European (4.8%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Italian, Nigerian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Ashkenazi Jewish.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 53.0% |
| French & German | 21.8% |
| Eastern European | 4.8% |
| Other | 20.3% |
Possible origins of the surname Carr
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Carr have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 82.60% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 82.50% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 82.50% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 82.30% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 82.20% |
What Carr haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Carr is R-CTS241, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS241 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-L21 and R-P311, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Morris, Taylor, Thompson, Lewis, Gibson, Wilson, Evans, Woods, Thomas, Clark.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Carr surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Carr have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Carr" Surname 40.1%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Carr" Surname 28.6%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Carr" Surname 21.3%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Carr" Surname 17.1%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Carr?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Carr are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition