NameCensus.

UK surname

Crabtree

An English topographic surname referring to a wild apple tree or a place where crab apples grew.

In the 1881 census there were 6,037 people recorded with the Crabtree surname, ranking it #731 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,312, ranked #1,580, down from #731 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Halifax and Bradford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Lancaster, Calderdale and Burnley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Crabtree is 6,986 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 28.6%.

1881 census count

6,037

Ranked #731

Modern count

4,312

2016, ranked #1,580

Peak year

1911

6,986 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Crabtree had 6,037 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #731 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,312 in 2016, ranked #1,580.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 6,986 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Crabtree surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Crabtree surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Crabtree 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 3,915 #730
1861 historical 3,755 #750
1881 historical 6,037 #731
1891 historical 6,330 #733
1901 historical 6,894 #804
1911 historical 6,986 #744
1997 modern 4,674 #1,400
1998 modern 4,869 #1,396
1999 modern 4,893 #1,400
2000 modern 4,857 #1,402
2001 modern 4,729 #1,403
2002 modern 4,825 #1,410
2003 modern 4,688 #1,414
2004 modern 4,666 #1,417
2005 modern 4,541 #1,442
2006 modern 4,516 #1,447
2007 modern 4,496 #1,469
2008 modern 4,505 #1,477
2009 modern 4,524 #1,509
2010 modern 4,588 #1,522
2011 modern 4,505 #1,523
2012 modern 4,387 #1,532
2013 modern 4,438 #1,545
2014 modern 4,413 #1,569
2015 modern 4,337 #1,575
2016 modern 4,312 #1,580

Geography

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Where Crabtrees are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Halifax, Bradford and Whalley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Lancaster, Calderdale, Burnley and Bradford. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Rochdale Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Whalley Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Lancaster 016 Lancaster
2 Calderdale 007 Calderdale
3 Burnley 014 Burnley
4 Bradford 022 Bradford
5 Calderdale 027 Calderdale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Crabtree

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Crabtree

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Crabtree, 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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Crabtree surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Crabtree household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Crabtree is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Crabtree 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

Crabtree falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Crabtree is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Crabtree

The surname Crabtree originates from England, tracing its roots back to the 13th century. It is a locational name derived from a place name, referring to individuals who lived near a crab tree or a small apple tree. The earliest recorded spelling of the name is believed to be "de Crabbetreo", found in the Hertfordshire tax rolls of 1273.

The name's origins can be traced back to the Old English words "crab" and "treow", meaning "wild apple tree". It is believed that the name initially referred to someone who lived near a specific crab tree or a place where such trees grew abundantly. This suggests that the earliest bearers of the name may have been from areas with a significant presence of crab apple trees or orchards.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Crabtree appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions a place called "Crabbetreo" in Staffordshire. This entry provides evidence of the name's long history and its association with specific locations in England.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, including "Crabtrewe" and "Crabetreu", reflecting the evolution of spelling and pronunciation over time. The name Crabtree is also associated with several place names in England, such as Crabtree Hill in Herefordshire and Crabtree Lane in Lancashire.

Notable individuals bearing the surname Crabtree include:

1. William Crabtree (1610-1644), an English mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of planetary motion and eclipses. 2. John Crabtree (1637-1714), an English Puritan minister and author who served as the rector of Antrim in Ireland. 3. Robert Crabtree (1821-1908), an English railway engineer and inventor who is credited with developing the first practical method for preserving food using canning. 4. Lotta Crabtree (1847-1924), an American actress and entertainer who gained fame for her performances in the United States and Europe during the late 19th century. 5. Benny Crabtree (1919-2009), an American professional baseball player who played as an outfielder for the Cincinnati Reds in the 1940s.

The surname Crabtree has a rich history spanning several centuries, with its origins rooted in the Old English language and associated with specific locations in England. Despite its age, the name continues to be carried on by individuals worldwide, serving as a testament to its enduring legacy.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Crabtree families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Crabtree 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. Yorkshire leads with 3,091 Crabtrees recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.30x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 3,091 5.30x
Lancashire 2,349 3.36x
Cheshire 107 0.82x
Derbyshire 54 0.59x
Durham 47 0.27x
Middlesex 43 0.07x
Lincolnshire 40 0.43x
Surrey 34 0.12x
Worcestershire 27 0.35x
Staffordshire 26 0.13x
Warwickshire 24 0.16x
Kent 22 0.11x
Nottinghamshire 22 0.28x
Essex 18 0.16x
Leicestershire 18 0.28x
Northumberland 18 0.21x
Hampshire 15 0.12x
Cumberland 12 0.24x
Norfolk 11 0.12x
Monmouthshire 9 0.21x
Hertfordshire 7 0.17x
Westmorland 6 0.46x
Glamorgan 5 0.05x
Cambridgeshire 4 0.11x
Suffolk 4 0.06x
Denbighshire 3 0.14x
Bedfordshire 2 0.07x
Dorset 2 0.05x
Flintshire 2 0.13x
Northamptonshire 2 0.04x
Sussex 2 0.02x
Wiltshire 2 0.04x
Berkshire 1 0.02x
Devon 1 0.01x
Gloucestershire 1 0.01x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stansfield in Yorkshire leads with 255 Crabtrees recorded in 1881 and an index of 118.86x.

Place Total Index
Stansfield 255 118.86x
Spotland 225 28.99x
Halifax 187 21.85x
Todmorden Walsden 172 91.96x
Wadsworth 158 166.51x
Horton In Bradford 134 14.72x
Newchurch 112 19.61x
Castleton 105 15.06x
Oldham 105 4.66x
Haworth 104 75.05x
Habergham Eaves 102 15.99x
Heptonstall 100 122.25x
Dewsbury 98 16.39x
Bradford 93 6.59x
Ovenden 90 34.69x
Heap 85 22.96x
Shipley 79 26.11x
Great Little Marsden 76 23.76x
Accrington 74 11.66x
Langfield 72 70.59x
Bingley 64 17.24x
Keighley 64 10.30x
Burnley 63 10.72x
Wuerdle Wardle 63 29.73x
Colne 60 28.85x
Northowram 57 13.94x
Manningham 56 7.80x
Sowerby In Halifax 55 28.85x
Thornton In Bradford 53 27.31x
Baildon 52 47.37x
Bury 45 5.64x
Southowram 45 25.29x
Dukinfield 41 6.83x
Midgley 41 65.99x
Denton 40 25.86x
Manchester 40 1.27x
Idle 39 14.43x
Wyke In Bradford 39 37.41x
Heaton 38 60.67x
Warley 38 22.55x
Oswaldtwistle 37 15.00x
Preston 37 1.98x
Blatchinworth 36 22.65x
Hopwood 35 38.35x
Wardleworth 34 8.52x
Blackburn 33 1.78x
Bowling 33 5.72x
Heckmondwike 33 17.60x
Salterforth 32 406.61x
Lower Booths 31 24.78x
Leeds 30 0.91x
Barnsley 29 4.82x
Foulridge 28 157.66x
Trawden 28 64.10x
Ashton Under Lyne 26 1.70x
Elland Cum Greetland 24 9.14x
Hunslet 24 2.64x
Erringden 23 61.07x
Lockwood 23 10.97x
Gomersal 22 8.09x
Great Bolton 22 2.38x
Hipperholme Cum 22 8.59x
Kimberworth 22 6.80x
Worsthorne Cum 22 99.14x
Aston 21 0.51x
Clayton 21 14.72x
Tong 21 18.65x
Cliviger 20 50.88x
Kidderminster Foreign 20 18.41x
Norland 19 47.48x
North Bierley 19 6.04x
Potter Newton 19 18.47x
Wortley In Bramley 19 4.12x
Barrowford Booth 18 23.30x
Butterworth 18 10.58x
Chorlton On Medlock 18 1.62x
Mirfield 18 5.62x
Tottington Lower End 18 5.43x
Golcar 17 11.03x
Layton With Warbreck 17 6.64x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 539
Sarah 331
Elizabeth 221
Ann 134
Hannah 133
Martha 114
Alice 112
Jane 99
Annie 87
Emma 73
Ellen 66
Emily 59
Margaret 55
Betty 47
Ada 46
Clara 41
Eliza 41
Grace 40
Edith 32
Harriet 29
Betsy 26
Susan 25
Lucy 23
Maria 22
Louisa 21
Isabella 20
Fanny 19
Esther 18
Frances 18
Nancy 18
Rebecca 18
Catherine 16
Florence 16
Ruth 15
Susannah 14
Charlotte 13
Matilda 13
Lydia 12
Elizth. 10
Selina 10
Amy 9
Bertha 9
Lilly 9
Lily 9
Amelia 8
Minnie 8
Rachel 8
Ethel 7
Rose 7
Sally 7

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 417
William 276
James 275
Thomas 173
Joseph 145
George 101
Henry 80
Samuel 80
Charles 72
Robert 62
Richard 54
Arthur 47
Fred 47
Walter 46
Alfred 35
Albert 34
Herbert 34
Abraham 33
Edward 33
Harry 33
Frederick 26
Frank 24
Benjamin 22
Edwin 22
David 21
Jonas 21
Jonathan 21
Ernest 20
Sam 20
Tom 20
Wm. 16
Willie 14
Joshua 13
Lewis 12
Thos. 12
Wright 10
Alexander 9
Eli 9
Joe 9
Greenwood 8
Hartley 8
Jesse 7
Squire 7
Ben 6
Edmund 6
Ellis 6
Geo. 6
Isaac 6
Luke 6
Oliver 6

FAQ

Crabtree surname: questions and answers

How common was the Crabtree surname in 1881?

In 1881, 6,037 people were recorded with the Crabtree surname. That placed it at #731 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Crabtree surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,312 in 2016. That gives Crabtree a modern rank of #1,580.

What does the Crabtree surname mean?

An English topographic surname referring to a wild apple tree or a place where crab apples grew.

What does the Crabtree map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Crabtree 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.