NameCensus.

UK surname

Chrisp

A surname derived from the English word "crisp", likely referring to someone with curly hair.

In the 1881 census there were 320 people recorded with the Chrisp surname, ranking it #9,298 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 405, ranked #11,774, down from #9,298 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland and Cardenden.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Chrisp is 534 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 26.6%.

1881 census count

320

Ranked #9,298

Modern count

405

2016, ranked #11,774

Peak year

1911

534 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Chrisp had 320 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,298 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 405 in 2016, ranked #11,774.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 534 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Chrisp surname distribution map

The map shows where the Chrisp surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Chrisp surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Chrisp over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 175 #11,542
1861 historical 208 #11,642
1881 historical 320 #9,298
1891 historical 341 #10,041
1901 historical 469 #8,444
1911 historical 534 #7,458
1997 modern 405 #10,908
1998 modern 414 #11,073
1999 modern 422 #10,999
2000 modern 416 #11,086
2001 modern 415 #10,925
2002 modern 424 #10,950
2003 modern 407 #11,136
2004 modern 402 #11,244
2005 modern 399 #11,206
2006 modern 399 #11,282
2007 modern 403 #11,315
2008 modern 412 #11,210
2009 modern 404 #11,636
2010 modern 411 #11,723
2011 modern 404 #11,786
2012 modern 396 #11,807
2013 modern 407 #11,766
2014 modern 410 #11,788
2015 modern 417 #11,532
2016 modern 405 #11,774

Geography

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Where Chrisps are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes, Gateshead, Long Benton and Bywell St Peter, Bywell St Andrew (Stocksfield Hall), Ovingham (Ovington, Mickley, Prudhoe, Prudhoe. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland and Cardenden. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 London parishes London 3
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Long Benton Northumberland
5 Bywell St Peter, Bywell St Andrew (Stocksfield Hall), Ovingham (Ovington, Mickley, Prudhoe, Prudhoe Northumberland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 022 Northumberland
2 Northumberland 020 Northumberland
3 Northumberland 004 Northumberland
4 Northumberland 008 Northumberland
5 Cardenden Fife

Forenames

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First names often paired with Chrisp

These lists show first names that appear often with the Chrisp surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Chrisp

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Chrisp, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Chrisp surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Chrisp household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Chrisp is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Chrisp is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Chrisp falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Chrisp is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Chrisp, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Chrisp

The surname Chrisp is believed to have originated in England during the Middle Ages. One theory suggests that it derived from the Old English word "crisp," which meant "curly-haired" or "having curly hair." Another possibility is that it stemmed from the Old English word "crysp," meaning "crisp" or "brittle," potentially referring to someone's personality or physical appearance.

Early records of the name Chrisp can be found in various historical documents, including the Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1273, which mentions a person named Cristian Crispe. The Domesday Book, compiled in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the Chrisp surname, but it does list several places with similar-sounding names, such as Cressebroc (now Cressbrock) in Norfolk.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Chrisp was William Chrisp, born around 1520 in Suffolk, England. He was a prominent landowner and served as a member of the local gentry. Another notable figure was Sir Nicholas Crispe (1599-1666), a wealthy merchant and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Winchelsea during the English Civil War.

In the 17th century, the name Chrisp appeared in various spellings, including Crisp, Crispe, and Crispe. One example is Samuel Crispe (1612-1677), a notable English nonconformist minister and author who faced persecution for his religious beliefs during the Interregnum period.

Other historical figures with the surname Chrisp include:

1. John Crispe (1598-1662), an English lawyer and politician who served as Recorder of Southwark and was a Member of Parliament for Mitchell. 2. Thomas Crispe (1600-1642), an English clergyman and academic who became the Master of Clare College, Cambridge. 3. Caleb Crispe (1645-1715), an English physician and author who wrote several medical treatises. 4. Henry Crispe (1776-1858), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and attained the rank of Admiral. 5. Wilfred Crispe (1884-1969), an English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Somerset County Cricket Club.

While the surname Chrisp has roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and population movements over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Chrisp families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Chrisp surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Northumberland leads with 145 Chrisps recorded in 1881 and an index of 31.22x.

County Total Index
Northumberland 145 31.22x
Durham 77 8.29x
Buckinghamshire 18 9.54x
Middlesex 15 0.48x
Surrey 14 0.92x
Hampshire 11 1.72x
Suffolk 10 2.63x
Cambridgeshire 5 2.53x
Staffordshire 5 0.47x
Worcestershire 4 0.98x
Lincolnshire 3 0.60x
Yorkshire 3 0.10x
Berkshire 2 0.85x
Derbyshire 2 0.41x
Bedfordshire 1 0.62x
Cornwall 1 0.28x
Dorset 1 0.49x
Essex 1 0.16x
Kent 1 0.09x
Leicestershire 1 0.29x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dawdon in Durham leads with 13 Chrisps recorded in 1881 and an index of 113.84x.

Place Total Index
Dawdon 13 113.84x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 13 32.32x
Seaton Delaval 13 318.63x
Bishopwearmouth 12 15.05x
Alnwick 10 125.31x
Newport Pagnell 10 253.16x
Westgate 10 34.77x
Widdrington 10 900.90x
Holton St Mary 9 5000.00x
Newton On The Moor 9 3600.00x
Elswick 8 21.58x
Great Linford 8 1702.13x
Bedlington 7 45.13x
Camberwell 7 3.51x
Lesbury 7 679.61x
Longbenton 7 35.59x
Newcastle On Tyne St 7 29.08x
Harraton 6 331.49x
Morden 6 800.00x
Ouston 6 444.44x
Prudhoe 6 185.76x
Shipley 6 6000.00x
Birtley 5 131.93x
Hartley 5 403.23x
Howick 5 1515.15x
Prendwick 5 10000.00x
Stamford 5 3333.33x
Teversham 5 1851.85x
East Chevington 4 258.06x
Ebchester 4 277.78x
Hampstead London 4 8.23x
Harborne 4 11.84x
Harton 4 108.99x
Witton Gilbert 4 108.99x
Amble 3 142.18x
Bengeworth 3 214.29x
Ecclesfield 3 13.23x
Eling 3 46.30x
Eltringham 3 600.00x
Newton By The Sea 3 1111.11x
Portsea 3 2.39x
St Martin Lincoln 3 64.79x
St Marylebone London 3 1.80x
Tynemouth 3 12.06x
Westoe 3 5.70x
Whickham 3 35.13x
Abingdon St Helen 2 29.20x
Bethnal Green London 2 1.47x
Farnborough 2 29.76x
Harrow On The Hill 2 32.05x
Islington London 2 0.66x
Southampton All Sts 2 18.21x
Sudbury 2 357.14x
Tweedmouth 2 34.54x
Whalton 2 571.43x
Winlaton 2 22.45x
Aldershot 1 4.67x
Brandon Byshottles 1 8.60x
Doddington 1 312.50x
Dorchester St Peter 1 67.11x
Heston 1 9.64x
Kyo 1 22.88x
Laneast 1 357.14x
Leire 1 322.58x
Lowestoft 1 5.57x
Martley 1 85.47x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 1 3.60x
Rothbury 1 75.19x
Seghill 1 43.86x
Shilbottle 1 217.39x
Southwark St John 1 10.47x
St Giles In Fields London 1 6.53x
Tonbridge 1 2.60x
West Ham 1 0.74x
Wolverhampton 1 1.23x
Wymington 1 188.68x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Chrisp surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 23
Margaret 16
Elizabeth 14
Jane 14
Isabella 10
Ann 6
Eliza 5
Alice 4
Sarah 4
Annie 3
Eleanor 3
Ellen 3
Martha 3
Susan 3
Anne 2
Barbara 2
Clara 2
Edith 2
Emma 2
Kate 2
Lucy 2
Selina 2
Agnes 1
C. 1
Catharine 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Christian 1
Christina 1
Dinah 1
Dorothy 1
Elizbth. 1
Elizebeth 1
Elizth. 1
Frances 1
Hanna 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Isabela 1
Isabele 1
James 1
Judith 1
Kathrine 1
Lyda 1
M. 1
Margt.Eliz. 1
Matilda 1
Rhoda 1
Rosina 1
Sussanna 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Chrisp surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 22
Thomas 19
William 18
James 16
George 14
Joseph 8
Robert 8
Henry 5
Alfred 4
Charles 4
Edward 3
Adam 2
Joshua 2
Michael 2
Thos. 2
Albert 1
Alexander 1
Arthur 1
Aurther 1
Bartholomew 1
Bertram 1
Chas. 1
David 1
Dorothy 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fredrick 1
G. 1
Harry 1
Hugh 1
Infant 1
Jas. 1
Jno.H. 1
L.C. 1
Matthew 1
Noble 1
Peter 1
Robt. 1
Sam 1
Sarah 1
Sidney 1
Walter 1
Willm. 1
Wm.J. 1

FAQ

Chrisp surname: questions and answers

How common was the Chrisp surname in 1881?

In 1881, 320 people were recorded with the Chrisp surname. That placed it at #9,298 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Chrisp surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 405 in 2016. That gives Chrisp a modern rank of #11,774.

What does the Chrisp surname mean?

A surname derived from the English word "crisp", likely referring to someone with curly hair.

What does the Chrisp map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Chrisp bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.