NameCensus.

UK surname

Craigen

A variant of "Craigie", a habitational surname referring to one from any of the places named Craigie in Scotland.

In the 1881 census there were 147 people recorded with the Craigen surname, ranking it #15,674 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 299, ranked #14,770, up from #15,674 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Glass, Banchory-Ternan and Leslie. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Govanhill West and North Barlanark and Easterhouse South.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Craigen is 328 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 103.4%.

1881 census count

147

Ranked #15,674

Modern count

299

2016, ranked #14,770

Peak year

1998

328 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Craigen had 147 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,674 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 299 in 2016, ranked #14,770.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 212 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Craigen surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Craigen surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Craigen 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 101 #17,036
1861 historical 147 #15,539
1881 historical 147 #15,674
1891 historical 202 #14,808
1901 historical 212 #14,611
1911 historical 76 #25,221
1997 modern 300 #13,530
1998 modern 328 #13,100
1999 modern 313 #13,587
2000 modern 319 #13,391
2001 modern 313 #13,361
2002 modern 320 #13,414
2003 modern 297 #13,917
2004 modern 285 #14,344
2005 modern 271 #14,780
2006 modern 268 #15,000
2007 modern 278 #14,773
2008 modern 280 #14,823
2009 modern 280 #15,141
2010 modern 296 #14,877
2011 modern 295 #14,758
2012 modern 290 #14,838
2013 modern 295 #14,918
2014 modern 297 #14,943
2015 modern 298 #14,832
2016 modern 299 #14,770

Geography

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Where Craigens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Glass, Banchory-Ternan, Leslie, Chapel of Garioch and Govan Combination. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Govanhill West, North Barlanark and Easterhouse South, Altonhill North and Onthank and North Tyneside. 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 Glass Aberdeen
2 Banchory-Ternan Kincardine
3 Leslie Aberdeen
4 Chapel of Garioch Aberdeen
5 Govan Combination Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 019 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
2 Govanhill West Glasgow City
3 North Barlanark and Easterhouse South Glasgow City
4 Altonhill North and Onthank East Ayrshire
5 North Tyneside 003 North Tyneside

Forenames

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First names often paired with Craigen

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Craigen

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Craigen 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

Craigen is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Craigen

The surname Craigen is believed to have originated in Scotland, deriving from the Gaelic term "creagan," which means "a little rock" or "rocky place." This name is thought to have emerged as a locational surname, given to individuals who lived near or were associated with a rocky or stony area.

The earliest known record of the Craigen surname dates back to the 16th century in Scotland. One notable individual bearing this name was John Craigen, who was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, in the late 1500s. He was a prominent landowner and played a role in local governance during his time.

In the 17th century, the Craigen surname appears in various records and documents, including parish registers and legal documents. One such entry is that of Robert Craigen, born in Lanarkshire, Scotland, in 1632, who served as a minister in the Church of Scotland.

As the centuries progressed, the Craigen surname spread across Scotland and beyond. In the 18th century, James Craigen, born in 1705 in Fife, Scotland, gained recognition as a skilled architect and was responsible for designing several notable buildings in Edinburgh.

The 19th century saw the emergence of another notable individual with the Craigen surname, Alexander Craigen, born in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, in 1820. He was a prominent scholar and educator, serving as the headmaster of various prestigious schools in Scotland.

In the literary world, the Craigen surname is associated with the Scottish poet and novelist, John Craigen, born in Glasgow in 1865. His works, which often explored themes of Scottish identity and culture, garnered critical acclaim during his lifetime.

While the Craigen surname has its roots firmly planted in Scotland, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and diaspora. However, the historical records and references mentioned above provide a glimpse into the rich heritage and origins of this surname, which continues to be carried by many individuals today.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Craigen families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Craigen 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. Aberdeenshire leads with 61 Craigens recorded in 1881 and an index of 45.02x.

County Total Index
Aberdeenshire 61 45.02x
Banffshire 19 62.60x
Lanarkshire 12 2.54x
Morayshire 9 39.60x
Lancashire 8 0.46x
Perthshire 8 12.18x
Angus 6 4.43x
Ross-shire 6 14.93x
Cumberland 5 3.97x
Kincardineshire 5 28.06x
Channel Islands 3 6.92x
Glamorgan 3 1.18x
Middlesex 2 0.14x
Durham 1 0.23x
Nairnshire 1 22.37x
Surrey 1 0.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aberdeen Old Machar in Aberdeenshire leads with 21 Craigens recorded in 1881 and an index of 74.23x.

Place Total Index
Aberdeen Old Machar 21 74.23x
Cairney 9 1139.24x
Glass 8 1538.46x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 7 27.61x
Grange 7 786.52x
Chapel Of Garioch 6 625.00x
Govan 6 5.13x
Liff Benvie 6 29.15x
Tarbat 6 631.58x
Banchory Ternan 5 324.68x
Keswick 5 310.56x
Knockando 5 543.48x
Marnoch 5 306.75x
Liverpool 4 3.79x
Barony 3 2.51x
Cardiff St Mary 3 21.38x
Duffus 3 150.00x
Gamrie 3 88.50x
Little Dunkeld 3 270.27x
St Helier 3 21.26x
Tyrie 3 176.47x
Blairgowrie 2 76.92x
Caputh 2 194.17x
Everton 2 3.61x
Hamilton 2 15.15x
Keith 2 61.73x
Leslie 2 769.23x
Skene 2 222.22x
Toxteth Park 2 3.40x
Banff 1 37.88x
Esher 1 100.00x
Forgue 1 81.97x
Glasgow 1 1.19x
Hampstead London 1 4.39x
Inverkeithny 1 217.39x
Islington London 1 0.71x
Kemnay 1 121.95x
Kinnoull 1 57.80x
Medomsley 1 49.26x
Nairn 1 36.90x
Old Deer 1 38.91x
Rafford 1 188.68x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Agnes 1
Alison 1
Anne 1
Catherine 1
Eliza 1
Emma 1
Hinda 1
Jane 1
Katherine 1
Maggie 1
Margaret 1
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 4
John 3
James 2
Alexander 1
Thomas 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Craigen households.

FAQ

Craigen surname: questions and answers

How common was the Craigen surname in 1881?

In 1881, 147 people were recorded with the Craigen surname. That placed it at #15,674 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Craigen surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 299 in 2016. That gives Craigen a modern rank of #14,770.

What does the Craigen surname mean?

A variant of "Craigie", a habitational surname referring to one from any of the places named Craigie in Scotland.

What does the Craigen map show?

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