CURL
Origin of the Curl surname lies in England, within the British Isles. The name is derived from the Middle English word curle, meaning curly-haired. It was originally a descriptive nickname for an individual or ancestor with notably curly hair.
Early on, the surname appeared in several forms, including Curl, Curle, Curling and Curlyng. Records show that the first recorded spelling was Burewoldus Crul, dated 1066 in the Book of Winton in Hampshire. Subsequent entries include William Curle in the Assize Court registers of Lincolnshire in 1202 and Robert Curlyng in the Subsidy Tax rolls of Sussex in 1296. A notable marriage of a Henry Curl to Elizabeth Lambden on 5 June 1648 took place at St. Margaret's, Westminster.
The surname may also have a locational source, originating from one of two villages named Crowle. The Lincolnshire settlement, recorded as Crule in the Domesday Book of 1086, derives from the Old English pre‑7th century word crull, meaning curly or winding. The Worcestershire village, written as Croelai in the same record, combines the Old English croh (bend) with leah (clearing). Residents who left these villages were often identified by the place name when they settled elsewhere.
Besides a descriptive or locational origin, another possibility is that Curl arose as an occupational name. Some scholars relate it to the craft of turnining leather into armour – the action of curling leather – or to the term for a maker of leather armour. Variants such as Curls, Curll and Curles are recorded, reflecting changes in spelling over the centuries.
The surname is seen today mainly in the United Kingdom and the United States. In the United States, the highest concentration is in Wyoming, followed by Oklahoma and Indiana. Although the name is not among the most common in England, its presence in Australia and other former colonial territories reflects historical patterns of British migration.
Among modern bearers of the name, it should be noted that the Nobel laureate Robert Curl, known for his work on fullerene, carries the Curl surname. His prominence underscores the name’s continued relevance in contemporary society.
Typical given names associated with the Curl surname
Male
- Andrew
- Anthony
- Christopher
- David
- Jason
- John
- Michael
- Richard
- Robert
- Simon
- Stephen
- Steven
Female
- Amanda
- Angela
- Beverly
- Elenor
- Elizabeth
- Janet
- Karen
- Lisa
- Margaret
- Michelle
- Patricia
- Pauline
- Sarah
- Valerie
Similar and related surnames
- Crowle
- Crowl
- Curie
- Carl
- Carll
- Carell
- Carla
- Carls
- Carlo
- Carli
- Carlee
- Carlie
- Carlew
- Carley
- Carlow
- Kerling
- Carlu
- Carloe
- Cur
- Cura
- Curle
- Carrl
- Caull
- Corell
- Corl
- Courly
- Curlay
- Curlee
- Curlew
- Curley
- Curlie
- Curlis
- Curll
- Curlow
- Curly
- Kurl
- Carlay
- Carly
- Carlye
- Cauli
- Cauly
- Chorly
- Corlay
- Corlew
- Corley
- Corlie
- Corlly
- Corlow
- Corly
- Courlay
- Courley
- Cure
- Curel
- Curlby
- Curleis
- Curlen
- Curler
- Curlet
- Curlin
- Curr
- Curyl
- Karl
- Kerl
- Khurl
- Khurll
- Kirl
- Kurly
- Carle
- Carlyle
- Carrol
- Croal
- Croll
- Currall
- Currell
- Gorrill
- Keirl
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Curl in...
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There are approximately 942 people named Curl in the UK. That makes it roughly the 7,706th most common surname in Britain. Around 14 in a million people in Britain are named Curl.
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
