NameCensus.

UK surname

Craig

A Scottish toponymic surname derived from the Gaelic word "creag," meaning "rocky hill" or "crag."

In the 1881 census there were 13,179 people recorded with the Craig surname, ranking it #313 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 21,012, ranked #282, up from #313 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Gateshead and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Paisley Central, Northern and Irvine Valley Rural and Inverurie South.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Craig is 21,081 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 59.4%.

1881 census count

13,179

Ranked #313

Modern count

21,012

2016, ranked #282

Peak year

2014

21,081 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Craig had 13,179 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #313 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 21,012 in 2016, ranked #282.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 16,733 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Craig surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Craig surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Craig 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 9,037 #295
1861 historical 9,776 #267
1881 historical 13,179 #313
1891 historical 14,419 #294
1901 historical 16,733 #301
1911 historical 5,995 #863
1997 modern 19,412 #295
1998 modern 20,217 #295
1999 modern 20,239 #296
2000 modern 20,222 #294
2001 modern 19,617 #296
2002 modern 20,089 #295
2003 modern 19,601 #297
2004 modern 19,573 #297
2005 modern 19,564 #293
2006 modern 19,669 #291
2007 modern 19,974 #292
2008 modern 20,124 #292
2009 modern 20,555 #291
2010 modern 20,994 #291
2011 modern 20,618 #291
2012 modern 20,328 #291
2013 modern 20,843 #289
2014 modern 21,081 #288
2015 modern 20,949 #286
2016 modern 21,012 #282

Geography

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Where Craigs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Gateshead, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Paisley Central, Northern and Irvine Valley Rural, Inverurie South, Paisley Gallowhill and Hillington and Northumberland. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Paisley Central Renfrewshire
2 Northern and Irvine Valley Rural East Ayrshire
3 Inverurie South Aberdeenshire
4 Paisley Gallowhill and Hillington Renfrewshire
5 Northumberland 003 Northumberland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Craig

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Craig

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Craig, 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 Craig surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Craig household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

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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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Craig is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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.

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Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Craig 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

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

Meaning and origin of Craig

The surname Craig is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic word "creag" meaning a rock or crag. It is believed to have originated as a topographic name for someone who lived near a prominent rocky outcrop or craggy hill.

The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the 12th century in Scotland. One of the earliest documented bearers of the surname was William de Cragyn, who witnessed a charter in Ayrshire in 1163. The name also appeared in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which recorded those who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England after his conquest of Scotland.

In the 14th century, the Craigs of Riccarton, a notable Scottish family, rose to prominence. Sir Thomas Craig (1538-1608) was a renowned Scottish jurist and legal writer, serving as Lord Advocate of Scotland. His work "Jus Feudale" was a significant contribution to the understanding of feudal law.

Another notable bearer of the name was John Craig (1512-1600), a Scottish reformer and one of the leading figures in the Scottish Reformation. He played a crucial role in the establishment of Presbyterianism in Scotland.

The surname Craig was also associated with the Clan Craig, a Scottish clan based in the Scottish Lowlands. The clan's origins can be traced back to the lands of Craigfintry in Stirlingshire, and they were prominent in the region during the 16th and 17th centuries.

In the literary world, James Craig (1674-1744) was a Scottish mathematician and theologian, best known for his work "Theologiae Christianae Principia Mathematica" which attempted to apply mathematical principles to theology.

Other notable bearers of the surname include James Henry Craig (1748-1812), a British military officer who served in the American Revolutionary War, and Sir James Craig (1776-1855), a British army officer and colonial administrator who served as Governor-General of British North America from 1807 to 1811.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Craig surname: questions and answers

How common was the Craig surname in 1881?

In 1881, 13,179 people were recorded with the Craig surname. That placed it at #313 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Craig surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 21,012 in 2016. That gives Craig a modern rank of #282.

What does the Craig surname mean?

A Scottish toponymic surname derived from the Gaelic word "creag," meaning "rocky hill" or "crag."

What does the Craig map show?

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