STORRS

Storrs is a surname of English origin. It is a locational name originally applied to individuals who were associated with a place called Storrs within the British Isles, most commonly in England.

The earliest derivations of the name come from the Old English word stōr, meaning “large” or “great”. In some instances the name is also linked to the Old Norse personal nickname Stori, a form of Storr that meant “big” or “large”. These linguistic roots suggest that the name could have been used to describe a prominent estate or settlement, or to identify a person of noteworthy size or stature who inhabited such an area.

Multiple variants of the surname are recorded in historical documents. These include Storr, Storre, Storres, Sturrs, Storrs and Storey. Earlier forms such as Storr and Storre appear in northern county records, especially in Yorkshire, from the mid‑sixteenth century onward. The earliest known spelling, Geoffrey Stor, is found in the Pipe Rolls of Norfolk dated 1200, within the reign of King John (1199–1216). A Thomas Storre is listed in the 1379 Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire, confirming the name’s continued usage in the region.

From the seventeenth to the nineteenth centuries, parish registers and civil documents recorded marriages, births and deaths of individuals bearing the surname across England. A notable entry is the marriage of Elizabeth Storrs to Holland Cooksey on 16 November 1751 at St. George’s, Mayfair. These records show that the name was well established in both rural and urban settings.

In modern times the distribution of the Storrs surname remains centred on the United Kingdom, with the highest concentrations in North Yorkshire. In the United States the name is most common along the eastern seaboard, particularly in Connecticut, Maine, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina and Virginia. While rarer, the surname can also be found in Australia.

Prominent individuals who have borne the surname include Sir Richard Storrs (1537–1634), an English politician; Isidor Storrs (1778–1850), an American lawyer, congressman and philanthropist; and Charles Storrs, an American businessman, philanthropist and abolitionist recognised for his role in the early history of Oberlin College. Other notables with the surname in the United States are Seth Storrs (1796–1860), a naturalist from New Hampshire, and Major Edmund Storrs (1811–1877), a military figure from Connecticut.

Contemporary descriptions of families with the Storrs surname portray them as mild‑mannered, diligent and self‑respecting. These traits have contributed to a perception of the name as reliable and trustworthy, making it an attractive choice for families wishing to highlight their English heritage.

Typical given names associated with the Storrs surname

Male

• Andrew
• Anthony
• Charles
• Christopher
• David
• Mark
• Michael
• Nicholas
• Paul
• Peter
• Richard
• Simon
• William

Female

• Anna
• Anne
• Elizabeth
• Emma
• Jacqueline
• Jessie
• Joanne
• Josephine
• Julie
• Margaret
• Mary
• Penelope
• Sarah
• Susan
• Thelma

Similar and related surnames

Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.

How to communicate the surname Storrs in...

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Morse

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Semaphore

Origin: English

Region of origin: British Isles

Country of origin: England

Religion of origin: Christian

Language of origin: English

Famous people named Storrs

• Ronald Storrs - Official (1881 to 1955)
• Monica Storrs - Settler of Canada (1888 to 1967)

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.

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