The Starr surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 30,363 people carried this name — #1,158 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 9,720 people counted. That is up 8% from 28,210 in 2000.

Look up another surname

Share

What the name means

The meaning of the Starr surname

A surname, variant of Star.

As an English surname, from the noun star.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Starr» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a nickname: ‘the star’ — the first of the origins he gives.

An early record he cites: Johannes le Ster, Oxfordshire, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 714 · public domain.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

142 families named Starr, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 876 people lived in those households, 6.2 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 3 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Connecticut 79
Pennsylvania 35
New York 9
Massachusetts 8
North Carolina 4
Vermont 3
Maryland 2
Virginia 1
South Carolina 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 263 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Starr in American newspapers,
1904–1910.

Newspaper page from New Hampshire Farmer And Weekly Union carrying the name Starr
New Hampshire Farmer And Weekly Union 1910-12-14
Newspaper page from The Sea Coast Echo carrying the name Starr
The Sea Coast Echo 1904-02-06
Newspaper page from The Opelousas Courier carrying the name Starr
The Opelousas Courier 1904-01-09

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 7,115 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Starr in Australian newspapers,
1830s–2000s.

43,016 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Starr. The most, 10,177, date from the 1910s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in New South Wales, at 1.6 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 22,596
Victoria 6,819
South Australia 4,986
Queensland 3,971
Western Australia 3,271
Tasmania 1,179
ACT (Canberra) 117
Northern Territory 25

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Starr.

Who carried it

People named Starr,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Malcolm Starr d. 2008 · manufacturer
  • Comfort Starr 1589–1659 · physician
  • Thomas Starr 1668–1711
  • Joseph Starr 1676–1758
  • Joseph Starr 1698–1781
  • Samuel Starr 1703–1778

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Starr,
in the records of 8 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States2,867 records

2,867 records of the Starr name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 1,068
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 725
  • Other U.S. records 1,074
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Kieran John Starr

    Born 1946; from Palo Alto, California. U.S. Army, military police; died in an accident 1967 in South Vietnam. Buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery, California.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Ambrose M. Starr

    Born 1911 in Pennsylvania. Enlisted 1942 at Harrisburg; secondary school teacher. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1996, buried at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery, Pennsylvania.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Mathilde Starr

    Arrived at New York in 1852 aboard the Elizabeth from Bremen, aged 16; farmer. From Wurtemberg, Germany; bound for Ohio.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 2,867 records for Starr in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls) · Ramsey County, Minnesota (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia423 records

423 records of the Starr name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 248
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 88
  • Other Australian records 87
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Robert Starr

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Marquis of Hastings, sailing from London in 1842. Native of Norwich, Norfolk. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1851.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record William Starr

    Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1851. Married 1851 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 27.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Thos Starr

    Arrived in Victoria in 1859 aboard the Pocahontas, aged 22; Irish.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 423 records for Starr in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada189 records

189 records of the Starr name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 133
  • City of Winnipeg cemetery records 19
  • Other Canadian records 37
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record William John Starr

    Buried in 1970 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 76.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Ronald Harris Starr

    Died 2001, aged 64; buried at Brookside Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Emma R. Starr

    Died 1914 in Canning, Kings, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 189 records for Starr in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

United Kingdom13 records

13 records of the Starr name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 10
  • Welsh wills index cards 2
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 1
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Walter Starr

    Will proved in 1929; of Llansamlet.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record J. E. Starr

    Royal Fusiliers. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Walter Starr

    Will proved in 1941; of blk, London.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)

Showing 3 of 13 records for Starr in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Germany11 records

11 records of the Starr name in Germany
  • Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919 10
  • German emigration and citizenship files 1
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Wilhelm Starr

    From Kiel. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 19 May 1916; then reported dead in the list of 22 September 1916 (Landwehr Infantry Regiment No. 23).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Jakob Starr

    Came to Schambach as an immigrant in 1830.

    Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek / Staatsarchiv Landshut (CC0)
  3. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Robert Stärr

    From Metzingen, Urach. Reported wounded in the Württemberg casualty list of 13 September 1916 (Infantry Regiment No. 124).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)

Showing 3 of 11 records for Starr in Germany.

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0) · Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

New Zealand7 records

7 records of the Starr name in New Zealand Christchurch City cemetery records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Elizabeth T. Catherine Starr

    Died 1975, aged 62; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Bastiaer Starr

    Died 1980, aged 43; buried at Waimairi Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Herbert Albert Starr

    Died 1980, aged 96; buried at Waimairi Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 7 records for Starr in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

France5 records

5 records of the Starr name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Sophie Starr

    Born 1915 in Estonia; died 1996 in Villeurbanne (Rhône).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Charles Starr

    Born 1921 in the United States; died 1998 in Saint-Laurent-du-Var (Alpes-Maritimes).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 5 records for Starr in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Netherlands4 records

4 records of the Starr name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 2
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 1
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 1
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Jeremie Starr

    Died 1813 in 's-Hertogenbosch.

    Open Archives, Brabants Historisch Informatie Centrum (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Elfriede Hermine Starr

    In the population register of Utrecht; born in Wesel, Germany.

    Open Archives, Het Utrechts Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 4 records for Starr in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Starr.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Starr is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Starr volume
Scroll to Top