CURTIS
Curtis is a surname of both English and French origin, traditionally recorded within the British Isles. The name is principally linked to the Christian population of England, where it first appears in documentary evidence dating from the mid‑12th century.
The earliest attested form is Richard Curteis (1166), noted in the Pipe Rolls of Bedfordshire during the reign of King Henry II, who was often styled “the Builder of Churches”. Subsequent medieval records show variants such as le Curetis (Devonshire, 1168) and Le Curtois (Lincolnshire, 1230). These forms derive from the Old French word curteis (or Corteis), meaning “refined”, “courteous” or “well‑mannered”. Consequently, the surname most likely began as a nickname for a man of good education, polished manners or respectable conduct.
A secondary derivation has been proposed from the Old English term curt, signifying “short”. In this interpretation the name would have functioned as a descriptive nickname for a person of diminutive stature. A third possibility is locational, referring to any of the places named Curtis in England, although such place‑names are comparatively rare.
Throughout the medieval period the name diversified into at least twelve recognised spellings, including Curtis(s), Curtice, Curthoys, Cortes and Kertess. By the early modern era bearers of the name had begun to emigrate. On 6 May 1635, a Henry Curtis, aged twenty‑seven, departed London aboard the “Elizabeth and Ann” for New England, representing one of the first recorded instances of the surname in North America. Notable later figures include Patrick Curtis (1740‑1832), who served as Archbishop of Armagh and advocated Catholic emancipation before the House of Lords in 1825, maintaining correspondence with the Duke of Wellington.
In summary, the surname Curtis encapsulates a blend of linguistic influences—principally Old French and Old English—and reflects medieval social practices of assigning nicknames based on personal attributes or place of origin. Its continued presence in both Britain and the wider English‑speaking world attests to the durability of these early naming conventions.
Typical given names associated with the Curtis surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Stephen
Female
- Deborah
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Helen
- Lisa
- Margaret
- Mary
- Nicola
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Curtiss
- Curtice
- Caretti
- Cartas
- Curties
- Cartis
- Carti
- Carts
- Cartie
- Cartes
- Curits
- Curti
- Curtise
- Cordts
- Cortes
- Corti
- Cortie
- Corties
- Cortis
- Cortise
- Corts
- Courtes
- Courtie
- Courties
- Courtis
- Courtois
- Courts
- Curitz
- Curt
- Curtas
- Curteis
- Curtes
- Curtey
- Curtie
- Curtin
- Curtins
- Curtois
- Curts
- Curttis
- Curtus
- Curty
- Kourtis
- Kurti
- Kurtis
- Cartice
- Coretti
- Cortas
- Courtice
- Courty
- Curdt
- Curte
- Curthoys
- Curtoys
- Kourti
- Kurts
- Carradus
- Carty
- Croudace
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Curtis in...
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Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname Curtis are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Garibaldi.
There are approximately 34,409 people named Curtis in the UK. That makes it the 225th most common surname in Britain. Around 528 in a million people in Britain are named Curtis.
Surname type: Nickname
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Curtis
- Ian Curtis - Musician and songwriter (1956 to 1980)
- Tony Curtis - American film actor (1925 to 2010)
- Adam Curtis - Film maker
- Simon Curtis - Film director and producer
- Cliff Curtis - New Zealand actor
- Chris Curtis - Musician (1941 to 2005)
- Ronan Curtis - Irish football player
- Ken Curtis - American actor (1916 to 1991)
- John Curtis - Football player, born 1978
- Lionel George Curtis - Official and writer (1872 to 1955)
- Alan Curtis - Welsh football player
- Lettice Curtis - Female aviator; Air Transport Auxiliary pilot (1916 to 2014)
- Alfie Curtis - Actor (1930 to 2017)
- Clem Curtis - Boxer and singer (1940 to 2017)
- Alan Curtis - Actor
- Philip Curtis - Recipient of the Victoria Cross (1926 to 1951)
- George Curtis - Football player
- Robert Curtis - Soldier (1950 to 1971)
- John Curtis - Entomologist and illustrator (1791 to 1862)
- Alexander Curtis - Politician
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.