NameCensus.

UK surname

Craigs

In the 1881 census there were 176 people recorded with the Craigs surname, ranking it #13,930 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 246, ranked #16,993, down from #13,930 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Gateshead and Long Benton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland, County Durham and North Tyneside.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Craigs is 252 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.8%.

1881 census count

176

Ranked #13,930

Modern count

246

2016, ranked #16,993

Peak year

2010

252 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Craigs had 176 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,930 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 246 in 2016, ranked #16,993.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 223 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Craigs surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Craigs surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Craigs 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 114 #19,011
1881 historical 176 #13,930
1891 historical 186 #15,740
1901 historical 203 #14,969
1911 historical 223 #13,951
1997 modern 226 #16,306
1998 modern 228 #16,706
1999 modern 238 #16,308
2000 modern 236 #16,380
2001 modern 232 #16,314
2002 modern 234 #16,543
2003 modern 217 #17,176
2004 modern 220 #17,129
2005 modern 209 #17,629
2006 modern 212 #17,612
2007 modern 227 #17,041
2008 modern 233 #16,885
2009 modern 239 #16,951
2010 modern 252 #16,701
2011 modern 246 #16,833
2012 modern 239 #17,027
2013 modern 244 #17,072
2014 modern 247 #17,035
2015 modern 243 #17,141
2016 modern 246 #16,993

Geography

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Where Craigs' are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland, County Durham, North Tyneside and Sunderland. 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 Gateshead Durham
3 Long Benton Northumberland
4 Bedlington Northumberland
5 Bamburgh Northumberland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 015 Northumberland
2 County Durham 022 County Durham
3 North Tyneside 019 North Tyneside
4 Sunderland 033 Sunderland
5 Northumberland 026 Northumberland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Craigs

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Craigs

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Craigs, 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 Craigs surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Craigs 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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Craigs is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Craigs 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

Craigs 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 Craigs is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

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Craigs families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Craigs 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. Northumberland leads with 85 Craigs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 33.09x.

County Total Index
Northumberland 85 33.09x
Durham 83 16.16x
Angus 6 3.75x
Isle of Man 1 3.12x
Surrey 1 0.12x
Sussex 1 0.34x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Gateshead in Durham leads with 25 Craigs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 65.00x.

Place Total Index
Gateshead 25 65.00x
Heworth 24 237.15x
Bedlington 23 268.07x
Adderstone 9 5625.00x
Horton 9 708.66x
Cramlington 8 235.99x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 8 35.96x
Holmside 8 629.92x
Ancroft 7 777.78x
East Thickley 7 673.08x
Kyloe 7 1186.44x
Monifieth 6 106.19x
Newton On The Moor 5 3571.43x
Cowpen 4 67.57x
Westgate 4 25.14x
Seaton Delaval 3 132.74x
Urpeth 3 300.00x
Amble 2 170.94x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 2 13.04x
South Shields 2 43.67x
Westoe 2 6.87x
Byker 1 7.87x
Capel 1 126.58x
Framwellgate 1 32.89x
German 1 57.14x
Hastings St Leonards 1 23.36x
Lamesley 1 36.23x
Longbenton 1 9.19x
Sedgefield 1 54.64x
West Rainton 1 62.89x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 18
Elizabeth 11
Margaret 10
Isabella 9
Hannah 6
Sarah 5
Jane 4
Alice 3
Ann 3
Dorothy 3
Grace 2
Barbara 1
Catharine 1
Cecilia 1
Dinah 1
Eleanor 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Majory 1
Margt.J. 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 15
William 15
Thomas 9
Walter 8
James 7
Joseph 5
Robert 4
Alexander 3
George 3
Luke 3
David 2
Edward 2
Stephen 2
Andrew 1
Archibald 1
Arthur 1
Frederick 1
Leeming 1
Mathew 1
Owing 1
Richard 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Craigs surname: questions and answers

How common was the Craigs surname in 1881?

In 1881, 176 people were recorded with the Craigs surname. That placed it at #13,930 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Craigs surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 246 in 2016. That gives Craigs a modern rank of #16,993.

What does the Craigs map show?

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