NameCensus.

UK surname

Craft

An occupational surname referring to a skilled artisan or tradesperson, such as a woodworker, metalworker, or stonemason.

In the 1881 census there were 660 people recorded with the Craft surname, ranking it #5,439 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,264, ranked #4,730, up from #5,439 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Chalfont St Giles, London parishes and Hull Holy Trinity. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barnsley, Aylesbury Vale and Three Rivers.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Craft is 1,284 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 91.5%.

1881 census count

660

Ranked #5,439

Modern count

1,264

2016, ranked #4,730

Peak year

2002

1,284 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Craft had 660 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,439 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,264 in 2016, ranked #4,730.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,097 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Craft surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Craft surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Craft 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 648 #4,015
1861 historical 706 #3,836
1881 historical 660 #5,439
1891 historical 872 #4,710
1901 historical 1,010 #4,724
1911 historical 1,097 #4,230
1997 modern 1,237 #4,590
1998 modern 1,281 #4,635
1999 modern 1,276 #4,679
2000 modern 1,281 #4,639
2001 modern 1,273 #4,567
2002 modern 1,284 #4,621
2003 modern 1,243 #4,660
2004 modern 1,229 #4,705
2005 modern 1,211 #4,729
2006 modern 1,213 #4,736
2007 modern 1,217 #4,753
2008 modern 1,221 #4,777
2009 modern 1,235 #4,824
2010 modern 1,249 #4,875
2011 modern 1,245 #4,834
2012 modern 1,249 #4,749
2013 modern 1,257 #4,797
2014 modern 1,272 #4,778
2015 modern 1,263 #4,757
2016 modern 1,264 #4,730

Geography

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Where Crafts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Chalfont St Giles, London parishes, Hull Holy Trinity and Rickmansworth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Barnsley, Aylesbury Vale, Three Rivers, Boston and South Kesteven. 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 Chalfont St Giles Buckinghamshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
4 Rickmansworth Hertfordshire
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barnsley 018 Barnsley
2 Aylesbury Vale 009 Aylesbury Vale
3 Three Rivers 009 Three Rivers
4 Boston 006 Boston
5 South Kesteven 003 South Kesteven

Forenames

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First names often paired with Craft

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Craft

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Craft is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Craft is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Craft 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 Craft 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 Craft, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Craft

The surname CRAFT is of English origin, having derived from the Old English word "cræft" meaning "skill" or "ability". This name was originally an occupational surname given to skilled craftsmen or artisans.

Records show that the name was present in England as early as the 13th century. One of the earliest recorded instances is that of Adam le Craft, who was mentioned in the Assize Court Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1260.

The surname CRAFT is also found in various historical documents from medieval times, including the Hundred Rolls of 1273 which listed a Roger Craft from Oxfordshire. Another early record is that of William Craft, whose name appeared in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327.

As the surname spread across England, it took on various spellings such as Crafte, Craffte, and Crafts. These variations were often influenced by local dialects and the preferences of scribes who recorded the names.

One notable figure in history who bore this surname was John Craft (c. 1515-1587), an English Protestant clergyman and writer. He was a notable figure during the Reformation and served as the Archdeacon of Winchester.

Another individual of note was Thomas Craft (1677-1753), an English architect and surveyor who worked on several important projects in London, including the rebuilding of St. Paul's Cathedral after the Great Fire of 1666.

In the literary world, William Craft (1824-1900) was an American writer and abolitionist who gained fame for his autobiographical work "Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom" which detailed his and his wife's daring escape from slavery in Georgia.

Mary Agnes Craft (1839-1905) was a British novelist and children's author, best known for her works such as "A Daughter of the Soil" and "The Wyndham Girls".

The surname CRAFT has also been found in various place names across England, such as Crafthole in Cornwall and Crafton in Yorkshire, both of which likely derived their names from individuals bearing the surname who resided in these areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Craft families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Craft 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. Middlesex leads with 144 Crafts recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.23x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 144 2.23x
Buckinghamshire 67 17.19x
Yorkshire 66 1.03x
Lincolnshire 55 5.33x
Hertfordshire 52 11.70x
Surrey 28 0.89x
Bedfordshire 27 8.09x
Durham 20 1.04x
Kent 20 0.91x
Lancashire 20 0.26x
Hampshire 17 1.29x
Somerset 17 1.64x
Northumberland 16 1.67x
Northamptonshire 15 2.47x
Cambridgeshire 14 3.43x
Norfolk 13 1.31x
Flintshire 9 5.19x
Berkshire 8 1.65x
Cornwall 8 1.10x
Essex 7 0.55x
Warwickshire 7 0.43x
Derbyshire 5 0.50x
Oxfordshire 4 1.00x
Angus 3 0.50x
Cheshire 3 0.21x
Herefordshire 3 1.13x
Huntingdonshire 3 2.34x
Lanarkshire 3 0.14x
Devon 2 0.15x
Glamorgan 2 0.18x
Monmouthshire 1 0.21x
Royal Navy 1 1.30x
Suffolk 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Frensham in Surrey leads with 23 Crafts recorded in 1881 and an index of 498.92x.

Place Total Index
Frensham 23 498.92x
Holy Trinity 22 14.32x
Butleigh 17 994.15x
St Swithin Lincoln 16 98.70x
Chelsea London 15 7.72x
Shoreditch London 15 5.37x
Hexham 14 94.28x
Sculcoates 14 13.82x
St George Hanover Square 14 12.32x
Wooburn 14 260.71x
Braybrooke 13 1645.57x
Bedford St Paul 12 52.40x
Chalfont St Giles 12 430.11x
Little Missenden 12 487.80x
Wycombe 11 37.85x
Ashford 10 46.69x
Manthorpe Cum Little 10 126.90x
Aldenham 8 198.02x
Madron 8 135.59x
Paddington London 8 3.37x
Sonning 8 149.81x
St Pancras London 8 1.54x
Stotfold 8 125.20x
Westoe 8 7.36x
Whickham 8 45.33x
Garrison Side 7 1944.44x
Hammersmith London 7 4.41x
Lotherton Cum Aberford 7 714.29x
Royston 7 184.70x
Tottenham 7 6.82x
Waterbeach 7 210.21x
Baldock 6 143.54x
Flint 6 60.98x
Hughenden 6 150.75x
Islington London 6 0.96x
St Michael Lincoln 6 215.05x
St Nicholas Lincoln 6 60.91x
Stevenage 6 87.08x
Wigan 6 5.61x
Willesden 6 9.87x
Wortley In Bramley 6 11.86x
Andover 5 40.03x
Barking 5 13.43x
Bengeo 5 96.90x
Bethnal Green London 5 1.79x
Clerkenwell London 5 3.29x
Derby St Peter 5 15.55x
Linthorpe 5 13.11x
Liverpool 5 1.08x
Shadwell London 5 27.72x
Swaffham 5 62.03x
Widnes 5 9.06x
Algarkirk 4 347.83x
Alger Kirk Amber Hill 4 851.06x
Birmingham 4 0.74x
Bromley London 4 2.82x
Clothall 4 434.78x
Enfield 4 9.45x
Hackney London 4 1.11x
Sheffield 4 1.97x
Shouldham 4 285.71x
Sittingbourne 4 23.03x
Stockton On Tees 4 4.33x
Biggleswade 3 27.45x
Chalfont St Peter 3 93.46x
Dundee 3 1.35x
Great Missenden 3 62.50x
Great Neston 3 63.83x
Hitchin 3 14.96x
Huntington In Hereford 3 1071.43x
Lymington 3 30.90x
Mile End Old Town London 3 2.19x
Mold 3 19.08x
Newington 3 1.26x
Norton 3 410.96x
Penn 3 123.46x
Portsmouth 3 9.86x
Welwyn 3 77.92x
Wherwell 3 252.10x
Wistow 3 344.83x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 47
John 32
George 28
Thomas 24
James 19
Charles 16
Henry 15
Edward 12
Joseph 12
Frederick 10
Alfred 8
Walter 7
Arthur 5
Daniel 5
Richard 5
Robert 5
Albert 4
Geo. 4
Harry 4
Matthew 4
Ernest 3
Francis 3
Frank 3
Philip 3
Benjamin 2
Samuel 2
Bernhard 1
C. 1
Chas.H. 1
Clarence 1
Conrad 1
Cornelius 1
Earnest 1
Emanuel 1
Enos 1
Eward 1
Ezekiel 1
Fred.H. 1
Frederic 1
Fredk.J. 1
Howard 1
Jas. 1
Jesse 1
Josiah 1
Louisa 1
Luke 1
Mark 1
Mathew 1
Percy 1
Peter 1

FAQ

Craft surname: questions and answers

How common was the Craft surname in 1881?

In 1881, 660 people were recorded with the Craft surname. That placed it at #5,439 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Craft surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,264 in 2016. That gives Craft a modern rank of #4,730.

What does the Craft surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a skilled artisan or tradesperson, such as a woodworker, metalworker, or stonemason.

What does the Craft map show?

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