NameCensus.

UK surname

Craigie

A surname referring to someone living near a small crag or rocky hill.

In the 1881 census there were 933 people recorded with the Craigie surname, ranking it #4,126 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,124, ranked #5,245, down from #4,126 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rousay and Egilsay, Kirkwall and St.Ola and Evie and Rendall. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Kirkwall, Stromness, Sandwick and Stenness and East Mainland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Craigie is 1,124 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 20.5%.

1881 census count

933

Ranked #4,126

Modern count

1,124

2016, ranked #5,245

Peak year

2016

1,124 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Craigie had 933 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,126 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,124 in 2016, ranked #5,245.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,073 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Craigie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Craigie surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Craigie 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 780 #3,420
1861 historical 886 #3,132
1881 historical 933 #4,126
1891 historical 980 #4,218
1901 historical 1,073 #4,503
1911 historical 294 #11,622
1997 modern 1,042 #5,306
1998 modern 1,111 #5,215
1999 modern 1,093 #5,311
2000 modern 1,096 #5,285
2001 modern 1,069 #5,291
2002 modern 1,090 #5,310
2003 modern 1,097 #5,193
2004 modern 1,085 #5,253
2005 modern 1,067 #5,270
2006 modern 1,041 #5,395
2007 modern 1,044 #5,422
2008 modern 1,053 #5,413
2009 modern 1,085 #5,379
2010 modern 1,114 #5,375
2011 modern 1,088 #5,428
2012 modern 1,087 #5,344
2013 modern 1,083 #5,446
2014 modern 1,103 #5,390
2015 modern 1,115 #5,297
2016 modern 1,124 #5,245

Geography

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Where Craigies are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rousay and Egilsay, Kirkwall and St.Ola, Evie and Rendall, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Kirkwall, Stromness, Sandwick and Stenness, East Mainland, West Mainland and East Kirkwall. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Rousay and Egilsay Orkney
2 Kirkwall and St.Ola Orkney
3 Evie and Rendall Orkney
4 Govan Combination Lanark
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Kirkwall Orkney Islands
2 Stromness, Sandwick and Stenness Orkney Islands
3 East Mainland Orkney Islands
4 West Mainland Orkney Islands
5 East Kirkwall Orkney Islands

Forenames

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First names often paired with Craigie

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Craigie

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Craigie surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Craigie household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Craigie 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.

Read profile summary

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

Craigie 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

Craigie falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Craigie is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Craigie, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Craigie

The surname Craigie originated in Scotland, deriving from the Gaelic word "creag," meaning a rocky hill or crag. It is believed to have first emerged as a territorial name for those who resided near such a rocky hill or crag.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the 13th century, when it appeared as "de Cragyn" in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a historical document containing the names of Scottish landowners and nobles who swore fealty to King Edward I of England.

In the 14th century, the name was often spelled as "Cragyn" or "Cragyne," referring to the lands of Craigie near Dundee in Angus, Scotland. This area was likely the ancestral home of many bearers of the Craigie surname.

In the 16th century, the surname took on various spellings, including "Cragie," "Craigie," and "Cragye." During this time, the name began to appear in historical records and documents, such as the Register of the Great Seal of Scotland.

Notable individuals with the surname Craigie include Robert Craigie (1685-1760), a Scottish poet and writer who served as Lord President of the Court of Session. Another was Thomas Craigie (1541-1619), a Scottish theologian and minister who served as the Principal of St. Leonard's College in St Andrews.

In the 17th century, William Craigie (1611-1685) was a Scottish minister and author, best known for his work "The Practice of Piety." He was followed by John Craigie (1670-1739), a Scottish physician and botanist who made significant contributions to the study of plant life in Scotland.

The 18th century saw the rise of Robert Craigie (1753-1816), a Scottish poet and writer who was a member of the Canongate Kilwinning Lodge in Edinburgh, where he participated in literary and social activities with other notable figures of the time.

As the Craigie surname spread throughout Scotland and beyond, it continued to be associated with its Scottish origins and the rocky landscapes from which it derived its name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Craigie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Craigie 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. Orkney leads with 291 Craigies recorded in 1881 and an index of 288.15x.

County Total Index
Orkney 291 288.15x
Midlothian 110 8.95x
Lanarkshire 100 3.37x
Fife 68 12.51x
Angus 65 7.64x
Perthshire 50 12.14x
Middlesex 43 0.47x
Aberdeenshire 41 4.82x
Northumberland 25 1.83x
Durham 19 0.70x
Renfrewshire 14 1.97x
Lancashire 13 0.12x
Kent 10 0.32x
Shetland 10 10.67x
Yorkshire 10 0.11x
Channel Islands 9 3.31x
Devon 7 0.37x
Surrey 7 0.16x
Ayrshire 5 0.73x
Banffshire 5 2.63x
Cheshire 4 0.20x
Cumberland 3 0.38x
Dumfriesshire 3 1.48x
Montgomeryshire 3 1.43x
West Lothian 3 2.17x
Worcestershire 3 0.25x
Caithness 2 1.59x
Clackmannanshire 2 2.64x
Kincardineshire 2 1.79x
Roxburghshire 2 1.20x
Stirlingshire 2 0.59x
Hampshire 1 0.05x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.75x
Lincolnshire 1 0.07x
Morayshire 1 0.70x
Norfolk 1 0.07x
Peeblesshire 1 2.32x
Selkirkshire 1 1.20x
Somerset 1 0.07x
Suffolk 1 0.09x
Wiltshire 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Rousay Egilshay in Orkney leads with 143 Craigies recorded in 1881 and an index of 4050.99x.

Place Total Index
Rousay Egilshay 143 4050.99x
Kirkwall St Ola 62 409.78x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 54 10.92x
South Leith 26 18.79x
Govan 25 3.41x
Dundee 24 7.56x
Glasgow 22 4.17x
Montrose 20 38.80x
Dysart 18 49.19x
Evie Rendall 18 422.54x
Liff Benvie 18 13.94x
Barony 17 2.26x
St Andrews Deerness 16 301.32x
Perth East Church 15 38.62x
Maryhill 12 20.65x
Shapinshay 12 392.16x
Firth Stenness 11 254.04x
Holm 10 295.86x
Markinch 10 54.20x
Unst 10 145.77x
Cupar 9 38.09x
Elswick 9 8.26x
St Helier 9 10.16x
Aberdeen Old Machar 8 4.51x
Dalkeith 8 32.98x
Eastwood 8 18.26x
Poplar London 8 4.62x
South Ronaldshay 8 76.56x
Fraserburgh 7 29.25x
Meldrum 7 97.77x
Bermondsey 6 2.20x
Bothwell 6 7.45x
Dalgety 6 144.58x
Edinburgh St Georges 6 23.51x
Keighley 6 6.19x
Monymusk 6 164.84x
Old Monkland 6 5.09x
Perth St Pauls 6 62.89x
Perth West Church 6 30.69x
Rhynd 6 638.30x
Westgate 6 7.09x
Blairgowrie 5 30.69x
Edinburgh St Stephens 5 20.65x
Hamilton 5 6.04x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 5 4.23x
Inverurie 5 52.03x
Liverpool 5 0.76x
Medomsley 5 39.25x
Newburgh 5 72.46x
Sandwick 5 131.93x
Stoke Newington London 5 6.99x
Strathmiglo 5 77.04x
Acomb 4 120.48x
Auchterderran 4 29.28x
Ayr 4 12.34x
Bromley 4 8.38x
Chelsea London 4 1.45x
Dunfermline 4 4.79x
Fordyce 4 29.20x
Gateshead 4 1.96x
Gorbals 4 22.70x
Hampstead London 4 2.80x
Kensington London 4 0.78x
Northam 4 28.72x
St Marylebone London 4 0.82x
Toxteth Park 4 1.08x
Annan 3 17.22x
Auchtergaven 3 43.42x
Bethnal Green London 3 0.75x
Burntisland 3 19.75x
Cathcart 3 7.79x
Chirton 3 9.71x
Ecclesall Bierlow 3 1.62x
Hackney London 3 0.58x
Kings Norton 3 2.79x
Kirkliston 3 37.22x
Montgomery 3 80.00x
North Leith 3 5.27x
Ramsgate 3 5.87x
St Martin In Fields 3 5.46x

Top female names

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

FAQ

Craigie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Craigie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 933 people were recorded with the Craigie surname. That placed it at #4,126 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Craigie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,124 in 2016. That gives Craigie a modern rank of #5,245.

What does the Craigie surname mean?

A surname referring to someone living near a small crag or rocky hill.

What does the Craigie map show?

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