NameCensus.

UK surname

Crafter

A surname derived from the occupation of someone who crafted items or goods.

In the 1881 census there were 110 people recorded with the Crafter surname, ranking it #18,695 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 143, ranked #24,505, down from #18,695 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Farnborough, London parishes and St Mary Magdalen Bermondsey. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Thurrock, Croydon and Milton Keynes.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Crafter is 160 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 30.0%.

1881 census count

110

Ranked #18,695

Modern count

143

2016, ranked #24,505

Peak year

1911

160 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Crafter had 110 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,695 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 143 in 2016, ranked #24,505.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 160 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Outer Suburbs.

Crafter surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Crafter surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Crafter 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 100 #17,164
1861 historical 105 #20,298
1881 historical 110 #18,695
1891 historical 125 #20,713
1901 historical 154 #17,775
1911 historical 160 #17,151
1997 modern 137 #22,301
1998 modern 145 #22,139
1999 modern 155 #21,375
2000 modern 152 #21,603
2001 modern 149 #21,568
2002 modern 151 #21,809
2003 modern 150 #21,669
2004 modern 146 #22,202
2005 modern 149 #21,866
2006 modern 130 #24,053
2007 modern 129 #24,503
2008 modern 128 #24,901
2009 modern 137 #24,371
2010 modern 140 #24,569
2011 modern 137 #24,716
2012 modern 140 #24,376
2013 modern 146 #24,107
2014 modern 138 #25,218
2015 modern 143 #24,481
2016 modern 143 #24,505

Geography

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Where Crafters are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Farnborough, London parishes, St Mary Magdalen Bermondsey, Beckenham and St Giles Camberwell. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Thurrock, Croydon, Milton Keynes, Havering and Poole. 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 Farnborough Kent
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Mary Magdalen Bermondsey London (South Districts)
4 Beckenham Kent
5 St Giles Camberwell London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Thurrock 008 Thurrock
2 Croydon 008 Croydon
3 Milton Keynes 001 Milton Keynes
4 Havering 008 Havering
5 Poole 018 Poole

Forenames

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First names often paired with Crafter

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Crafter

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Outer Suburbs

Nationally, the Crafter surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Outer Suburbs, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Crafter household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods are found on the outer edges of many towns and cities. Many residents were born outside the UK. Indian ethnic group representation is high. There are high numbers of families with dependent children aged 5 to 14. Incidences of disability and of provision of unpaid care are low. Neighbourhoods provide a mix of detached housing and flats, and terraced housing is not uncommon. Levels of overcrowding are low and homeownership rates are high. Professional and managerial occupations are prevalent: unemployment is low and education to degree level is the norm.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Crafter is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Crafter is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Crafter falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Crafter 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 Crafter, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Crafter

The surname Crafter is of English origin and is an occupational name derived from the Old English word "cræft," which means "craft" or "skill." This surname emerged during the Middle Ages, around the 12th or 13th century, when surnames began to become hereditary.

The name Crafter likely referred to a skilled craftsman or artisan, such as a carpenter, blacksmith, or weaver. It may have been given as a descriptive name to someone who excelled in a particular craft or trade. Alternatively, it could have been adopted by someone who worked as a crafter or maker of certain goods.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Crafter can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, where a John le Crafter is mentioned. This document provides evidence of the name's existence and usage during the medieval period.

In the 15th century, the surname appears in various forms, such as Craftere and Craftyr, reflecting the variations in spelling that were common at the time. For example, the Feet of Fines for Yorkshire from 1486 mentions a William Craftyr.

Among the notable individuals who bore the surname Crafter, we can mention John Crafter (c. 1545-1627), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, from 1613 until his death.

Another prominent figure was Thomas Crafter (1635-1705), a British naval officer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Portsmouth from 1701 to 1705.

In the 18th century, William Crafter (1724-1792) was an English architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London, including the former Middlesex Sessions House.

Moving to the 19th century, we find John Crafter (1789-1864), a British civil engineer and surveyor who worked on various projects, including the construction of the Grand Union Canal.

Lastly, one cannot overlook the contribution of Samuel Crafter (1865-1938), a British painter and illustrator known for his works depicting rural life and landscapes.

While the surname Crafter is not as common today as it once was, it remains a part of the rich tapestry of English surnames, reflecting the country's long history of skilled craftsmanship and artisanal traditions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Crafter families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Crafter 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. Surrey leads with 59 Crafters recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.28x.

County Total Index
Surrey 59 11.28x
Kent 33 9.01x
Cheshire 7 2.96x
Middlesex 6 0.56x
Lancashire 2 0.16x
Hampshire 1 0.45x
Suffolk 1 0.77x
Sussex 1 0.55x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Farnborough in Kent leads with 17 Crafters recorded in 1881 and an index of 3207.55x.

Place Total Index
Farnborough 17 3207.55x
Bermondsey 14 43.83x
Newington 11 27.75x
Camberwell 10 14.59x
Croydon 9 31.01x
Tranmere 7 80.37x
Milton In Gravesend 5 91.07x
Lambeth 4 4.28x
Clerkenwell London 3 11.84x
Bromley 2 35.84x
Greenwich 2 11.71x
Leatherhead 2 152.67x
Penge 2 29.20x
Salford 2 5.34x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 9.26x
Wandsworth 2 19.36x
Wimbledon 2 34.07x
Battersea 1 2.53x
Chelsfield 1 285.71x
Chislehurst 1 51.02x
Cudham 1 263.16x
Dartford 1 26.74x
Foots Cray 1 142.86x
Great Saxham 1 1111.11x
Holy Trinity Less London 1 370.37x
Horton Kirby 1 175.44x
Islington London 1 0.96x
Lewisham 1 5.12x
Rusper 1 500.00x
St George In East London 1 9.91x
St Maurice Winchester 1 109.89x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 8
George 5
Robert 5
James 4
Henry 3
Thomas 3
Arthur 2
Danual 2
Ernest 2
Harry 2
John 2
Richard 2
Alfred 1
Charles 1
Edward 1
Frederick 1
Fredk.W. 1
H. 1
Herbert 1
Leonard 1
Mina 1
Tom 1
Want 1

FAQ

Crafter surname: questions and answers

How common was the Crafter surname in 1881?

In 1881, 110 people were recorded with the Crafter surname. That placed it at #18,695 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Crafter surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 143 in 2016. That gives Crafter a modern rank of #24,505.

What does the Crafter surname mean?

A surname derived from the occupation of someone who crafted items or goods.

What does the Crafter map show?

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