NameCensus.

UK surname

Craggs

A locational surname referring to someone living near craggy rocks or cliffs.

In the 1881 census there were 1,542 people recorded with the Craggs surname, ranking it #2,724 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,500, ranked #2,645, up from #2,724 in 1881.

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Craggs is 2,709 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 62.1%.

1881 census count

1,542

Ranked #2,724

Modern count

2,500

2016, ranked #2,645

Peak year

1999

2,709 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Craggs had 1,542 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,724 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,500 in 2016, ranked #2,645.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,316 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Craggs surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Craggs surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Craggs 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 936 #2,960
1861 historical 890 #3,112
1881 historical 1,542 #2,724
1891 historical 1,674 #2,686
1901 historical 2,032 #2,634
1911 historical 2,316 #2,193
1997 modern 2,575 #2,464
1998 modern 2,688 #2,460
1999 modern 2,709 #2,461
2000 modern 2,683 #2,468
2001 modern 2,646 #2,453
2002 modern 2,707 #2,450
2003 modern 2,603 #2,480
2004 modern 2,634 #2,460
2005 modern 2,571 #2,479
2006 modern 2,569 #2,481
2007 modern 2,586 #2,487
2008 modern 2,593 #2,499
2009 modern 2,614 #2,546
2010 modern 2,655 #2,563
2011 modern 2,598 #2,585
2012 modern 2,526 #2,599
2013 modern 2,577 #2,594
2014 modern 2,573 #2,614
2015 modern 2,529 #2,627
2016 modern 2,500 #2,645

Geography

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Where Craggs' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Darlington, London parishes, Gateshead and Middlesborough. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham. 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 Darlington Durham
3 London parishes London 3
4 Gateshead Durham
5 Middlesborough Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 046 County Durham
2 County Durham 054 County Durham
3 County Durham 045 County Durham
4 County Durham 048 County Durham
5 County Durham 040 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Craggs

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Craggs

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

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Craggs surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Craggs 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 house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Craggs 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

Craggs is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Craggs

The surname CRAGGS originated in England and dates back to the late medieval period. It is a locational surname derived from the Old English words "cragg" or "crag," meaning a steep rock or rugged hill. This suggests that the name likely originated in an area with a prominent rocky outcrop or craggy landscape.

The name is believed to have first appeared in Yorkshire, where there are several places with names containing the word "crag," such as Cragforth and Craghill. The earliest recorded instances of the surname CRAGGS can be found in Yorkshire parish records from the 16th century.

One of the earliest documented individuals with the surname was John Craggs, who was born in Yorkshire in 1542. Another notable early bearer of the name was William Craggs, a landowner from Richmondshire, Yorkshire, who lived in the late 16th century.

In the 17th century, the name appears in various historical records, including the Hearth Tax returns of 1665, which list several CRAGGS households in Yorkshire villages. During this period, the name also began to spread to other parts of England, particularly the neighboring counties of Lancashire and Westmorland.

A notable figure in the 18th century was James Craggs the Elder (1657-1721), a prominent English politician who served as Secretary of State for the Southern Department. His son, James Craggs the Younger (1686-1720), was also a politician and Member of Parliament.

Another distinguished bearer of the name was Michael Craggs (1752-1834), an English portrait painter who was a member of the Royal Academy. His works can be found in various art collections across Britain.

In the 19th century, the surname CRAGGS continued to be well-represented in Yorkshire and other parts of northern England. Notable individuals from this period include Richard Craggs (1825-1899), an English cricketer who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club, and John Craggs (1849-1914), a successful industrialist and philanthropist from Newcastle upon Tyne.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Craggs families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Craggs 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. Durham leads with 722 Craggs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.14x.

County Total Index
Durham 722 16.14x
Yorkshire 336 2.26x
Northumberland 133 5.95x
Surrey 67 0.91x
Middlesex 61 0.41x
Lincolnshire 54 2.25x
Lancashire 38 0.21x
Hampshire 31 1.01x
Staffordshire 18 0.35x
Cornwall 16 0.94x
Devon 14 0.45x
Derbyshire 7 0.30x
Essex 7 0.24x
Glamorgan 5 0.19x
Kent 5 0.10x
Cheshire 4 0.12x
Somerset 4 0.17x
Berkshire 3 0.27x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.15x
Warwickshire 3 0.08x
Herefordshire 2 0.32x
Sussex 2 0.08x
Angus 1 0.07x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.11x
Midlothian 1 0.05x
Norfolk 1 0.04x
Westmorland 1 0.30x
Wiltshire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Darlington in Durham leads with 65 Craggs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 37.64x.

Place Total Index
Darlington 65 37.64x
Hetton Le Hole 48 84.70x
Bishopwearmouth 36 9.38x
Stockton On Tees 36 16.70x
Middlesbrough 35 18.04x
Crook Billy Row 34 59.37x
Gateshead 26 7.77x
Haswell 26 81.12x
Westoe 26 10.26x
Portsea 25 4.14x
Wolsingham 24 58.88x
Hedleyhope 23 297.16x
Elvet 20 61.96x
Houghton Le Spring 19 61.47x
Byker 18 16.28x
Stranton 18 11.96x
Wolverhampton 17 4.36x
Mevagissey 16 141.47x
Wickersley 16 388.35x
Trimdon 15 94.88x
Holy Trinity 14 3.91x
Holton Le Clay 13 878.38x
Keighley 13 8.19x
Southwark St George Martyr 13 4.30x
Elswick 12 6.72x
Gilling 12 267.86x
Washington 12 64.00x
Eldon 11 155.15x
Lambeth 11 0.84x
Rotherhithe 11 5.92x
Eccleshill 10 27.59x
Guisbrough 10 30.72x
Newcastle On Tyne St 10 8.63x
Newfield 10 168.63x
Preston On Tees 10 1190.48x
Satley 10 390.63x
Sedgefield 10 62.74x
Benwell 9 36.81x
Burneston 9 692.31x
Clist St Mary 9 947.37x
Cornforth 9 68.34x
Dawdon 9 16.36x
Exelby Leeming Newton 9 253.52x
Hammersmith London 9 2.43x
Pelton 9 42.29x
Pickering 9 47.97x
Ripon 9 26.04x
St George Martyr London 9 29.56x
West Herrington 9 57.43x
Battersea 8 1.45x
Camberwell 8 0.83x
Hylton 8 101.52x
Monkwearmouth 8 18.69x
Newcastle On Tyne St John 8 27.20x
Preston In Tynemouth 8 91.01x
Wallsend 8 11.28x
Wingate 8 26.09x
York St Saviour 8 56.26x
Bawtry 7 149.25x
Bishop Middleham 7 291.67x
East Molesey 7 41.20x
Great Burdon 7 1129.03x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 7 3.61x
Hutton Rudby 7 157.30x
Leyton 7 13.70x
Longbenton 7 7.39x
Pendleton In Salford 7 3.29x
Sheffield 7 1.48x
Shoreditch London 7 1.07x
St Martin In Fields 7 7.78x
St Pancras London 7 0.58x
Tunstall 7 31.43x
Wycliffe With Thorpe 7 777.78x
Garmondsway Moor 6 750.00x
Ingleby Greenhow 6 298.51x
Patrck Brmptn Newton 6 225.56x
Redworth 6 209.79x
Scorton 6 285.71x
Skutterskelfe 6 1818.18x
Whitby 6 11.95x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 105
Jane 66
Elizabeth 61
Margaret 47
Ann 43
Sarah 41
Isabella 22
Alice 21
Ellen 20
Annie 19
Hannah 19
Eliza 15
Emma 12
Edith 10
Eleanor 10
Ada 9
Emily 9
Florence 8
Harriet 8
Anne 6
Catherine 6
Martha 6
Agnes 5
Caroline 5
Charlotte 5
Dorothy 5
Esther 5
Fanny 5
Frances 5
Kate 5
Louisa 5
Maria 5
Susan 5
Elizth. 4
Lucy 4
Amelia 3
Beatrice 3
Bessie 3
Betsy 3
Lizzie 3
Maggie 3
Margret 3
Rachel 3
Barbara 2
Christiana 2
Clara 2
Eliz. 2
Julia 2
Lousia 2
M. 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 95
William 94
George 75
Thomas 72
Robert 55
James 50
Joseph 29
Charles 23
Henry 16
Wm. 13
Alfred 12
Francis 12
Arthur 11
Frederick 10
Matthew 10
Edward 9
Thos. 9
Edwin 8
Richard 8
Anthony 7
Frank 7
Benjamin 6
Christopher 6
Ernest 6
Geo. 6
Herbert 6
Jonathan 5
Ralph 5
Stephen 5
Albert 4
Samuel 4
Tom 4
Edmund 3
Fred 3
Harry 3
Jno. 3
Luke 3
Mark 3
Mathew 3
Robt. 3
Adam 2
Bengamin 2
Edgar 2
Jas. 2
Martin 2
Miles 2
Reginald 2
Saml. 2
Septimus 2
Walter 2

FAQ

Craggs surname: questions and answers

How common was the Craggs surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,542 people were recorded with the Craggs surname. That placed it at #2,724 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Craggs surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,500 in 2016. That gives Craggs a modern rank of #2,645.

What does the Craggs surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone living near craggy rocks or cliffs.

What does the Craggs map show?

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