TARR
Tarr is a surname of English origin, rooted in the geography and occupational practices of the British Isles. The name is linked to the Old English word tær, meaning tar – the black, adhesive substance historically employed in ship waterproofing and other trades.
As an occupational surname, Tarr would have been assigned to a person who worked with tar, or perhaps to an individual of a dark complexion. In a locational sense, the surname may have developed from a habitational name, denoting a person who lived near a place called Tarr or Tarrs – a name that occasionally appears on early medieval maps of England.
The earliest recorded instance of the family name appears in the parish register of Stockland, Bristol. In 1584, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, a Francis Tarr united in marriage with Ann Day. The existence of this record confirms that the surname was already in use in Somerset’s proximity to the thriving port of Bristol in the late sixteenth century.
Further documentation demonstrates the spread of the name within the county. In the parish of West Bagborough, Somerset, a marriage certificate dated 23 April 1639 records Elizabeth Tarr’s union with Henry Thrasher. Another entry, dated 14 June 1667, documents the christening of Sara Tarr in Chipstable, Somerset. These dates illustrate the surname’s continued presence in the region across the seventeenth century.
The name’s association with Bristol is significant. The city’s long history as a major trading port meant that many skilled workers, including those handling tar for the construction and maintenance of maritime vessels, resided there. Consequently, the occupational origins of the name are well contextualised within the city’s economic landscape.
Although Tarr remains a relatively uncommon surname, it can still be found in various English‑speaking countries today. Its etymology reflects a mixture of occupation and geography, characteristic of many English family names that emerged in medieval times.
Typical given names associated with the Tarr surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- Ian
- James
- John
- Jonathan
- Michael
- Paul
- Richard
- Simon
- Stephen
Female
- Dawn
- Elizabeth
- Jennifer
- Karen
- Margaret
- Mary
- Michelle
- Natalie
- Patricia
- Susan
- Victoria
- Wendy
Similar and related surnames
- Doore
- Dore
- Doree
- Dorr
- Durie
- Durr
- Dytor
- Tahri
- Tair
- Taira
- Tairs
- Tairu
- Tairy
- Taor
- Tar
- Tara
- Tarah
- Tard
- Tare
- Tares
- Tarey
- Targ
- Tarh
- Tari
- Tark
- Tarl
- Tarn
- Taro
- Tarp
- Tarras
- Tarre
- Tarres
- Tarrey
- Tarrio
- Tarris
- Tarrow
- Tarry
- Tars
- Tart
- Taru
- Tary
- Tau
- Taur
- Taure
- Tauro
- Taw
- Tayres
- Tear
- Teare
- Tears
- Teer
- Teir
- Teire
- Ter
- Tere
- Terr
- Terra
- Terre
- Terres
- Terri
- Terrie
- Terro
- Terry
- Tier
- Tir
- Tire
- Tirre
- Toar
- Tor
- Tore
- Torr
- Torre
- Torrie
- Tour
- Toure
- Tourre
- Tur
- Ture
- Turr
- Turra
- Turri
- Turrie
- Turro
- Turry
- Tyer
- Tyre
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Tarr in...
Braille
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Morse
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Semaphore
There are approximately 1,991 people named Tarr in the UK. That makes it roughly the 4,234th most common surname in Britain. Around 31 in a million people in Britain are named Tarr.
Surname type: Location or geographical feature
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Tarr
- Don Tarr - Welsh rugby union player (1910 to 1980)
- Frank Tarr - Rugby player (1887 to 1915)
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.