Guild of One-Name Studies
One-name studies, Genealogy
Study: Curd
Variants: Curde, Curds
Category: 1 - A study where research using core genealogical datasets and transcriptions is in its early stages.
DNA website: www.familytreedna.com/groups/curd
Contact: Miss Susan Curd
Variant spellings to the name CURD.
It is believed that CURDE may be an original spelling.
CURDS (surname) YDNA tested indicates it is part of a CURD family group and is therefore a variant surname.
The official records have frequent mis-spellings of the surname due to it's rarity.
Origin of the people; I have collected enough Curd YDNA results to establish that the Curds are of European origin where records for study are, happily, more available. Some American Curds with an admixture of African heritage may descend from the grandson of the first European immigrant, others may, likely, have been forced labour. (YDNA testing men of African/American heritage in the Curd project will clarify this). The Europeans in the USA (male-line YDNA) family may have a Borders (England/Scotland) origin due to their YDNA matches with a Border's surname of Blackadder and variants. Old Wills are helpful in identifying relatives and places. There is a significant Will for the Americans with a Virginia/Kentucky origin and a Curd in Ireland asked for his body to be returned home to England and most other Curd Wills are from people of South-east English origin. Curds in America encompassed early pioneers brushing shoulders with such people as Daniel Boone. Britain's Curds were humble but proud skilled workers or trades people or in the service industry like Shoemakers, Papermakers, Policeman, Gardeners, Agricultural workers, Shipwrights, Engineers, Builders, Man Servants, Female Servants, or Midwives, Nurses, and a Cheese Monger!
There are some people giving CURDs a bad name like the graffitist unknown 'John Curd 1844' inscribed on the ancient stones of "Kit's Coty House" in Kent, England, so that, consequently, it was fenced off to the public. Occasionally a Curd had a brush with the law and was exiled "beyond the seven seas" and others give us a good name; one Curd worked in and met his wife working at Bletchley Park, the spy observation post during the WW2 and others have had honours bestowed on them for good works.
CURD surname isn't common and doesn't need to be famous to be noticed due to it's being rare in some areas. So numbers found aren't huge. The Southern sea-board of England and east Scotland, and Virginia and later Kentucky in the USA, historically, even Chile.
In the 1901 England Census there were 1011 CURD entries found on the online version and a similar amount in the USA 1900 census. This includes children.
CURD is also found amongst the slave schedules in the States of America. One Susan Curd, my namesake, having taken the option to go to Liberia when she was set free from her servitude.
I have a Curd project on www.familytreeDNA.com (FTDNA) web site. YDNA and public records show that the southeast England family is the oldest, carrying the surname of Curd and showing five branches meeting (before the 1700s). The Americans are next with one branch (back to 1600)s and the Maidstone with one branch a close third (from 1700s). Most of the others are recent 1750-1922 and small families due to adoptions of the surname for a variety of reasons in this short Two hundred years period. I start by asking men with the Curd surname to test for 37 markers which is the minimum for matching other Curds and to define families. But, ideally, Big Y-700 test shows branches of the family in greater detail. I also accept tests for AtDNA (autosomal, or recent up-to five generations of family relationships or Family Finder). Most family-history DNA companies do this test and not the YDNA which my Study needs. If you have tested with another company this AtDNA, you can transfer your results to FTDNA. Reduced rates are offered throughout the year at general public holidays check out the web site www.familytreeDNA.com and the Curd YDNA project. Take the Y37 test ( or the Big Y) and ask to join or drop me a line on this web site.
You are welcome to join the YDNA project at www.familytreedna.com.
I am awaiting prospective testers from the (English) Dartford family who, I think, may belong to the Thames Waterman branch of the five-branched English family, Derby family who are (on paper) the Papermaker family of Flaunden and Sarratt, Hertfordshire branch of the five-branched English family, and the Dover family and not to forget adding the African-Americans in the USA.
If you wish to join the DNA project at familytreedna.com please email me first if you wish to discuss the possibility of a free test kit. curd@one-name.org. Or you can buy a YDNA 37markers or Big-Y Kit and then request to join the project.
Virginia/Kentucky CURDs have been studied by John, johndc16@icloud.com and he has put collections of USA occurrences on Ancestry's family trees . Update 2020; Dan Curd danscurd@gmail.com has written his families American life history and has an e-book to buy. You are welcome to contact them.
Brian Curd's forum at www.curdfamily.com or email Brian at brian@curdfamily.com for any CURD though he specializes in CURDs from Hertfordshire, England.
If there's anyone else with Curd information or would like some from me please contact me. I have recorded many Curd certificates of Births, Deaths and Marriages between 1837-1911, so try me first for a look-up service before ordering Curd certificates.