NameCensus.

UK surname

Craik

A habitational surname derived from a place name, possibly referring to someone from a crooked or winding place.

In the 1881 census there were 924 people recorded with the Craik surname, ranking it #4,156 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,049, ranked #5,555, down from #4,156 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Forfar, Gateshead and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Tyneside, Lochside and Lincluden and New Abbey.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Craik is 1,093 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 13.5%.

1881 census count

924

Ranked #4,156

Modern count

1,049

2016, ranked #5,555

Peak year

2010

1,093 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Craik had 924 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,156 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,049 in 2016, ranked #5,555.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,084 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Craik surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Craik surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Craik 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 524 #4,784
1861 historical 666 #4,023
1881 historical 924 #4,156
1891 historical 1,010 #4,115
1901 historical 1,084 #4,459
1911 historical 350 #10,262
1997 modern 976 #5,610
1998 modern 1,022 #5,579
1999 modern 1,031 #5,575
2000 modern 1,006 #5,663
2001 modern 972 #5,709
2002 modern 984 #5,775
2003 modern 992 #5,629
2004 modern 1,001 #5,592
2005 modern 995 #5,575
2006 modern 991 #5,598
2007 modern 1,006 #5,583
2008 modern 1,035 #5,491
2009 modern 1,034 #5,621
2010 modern 1,093 #5,470
2011 modern 1,072 #5,491
2012 modern 1,020 #5,646
2013 modern 1,043 #5,649
2014 modern 1,046 #5,649
2015 modern 1,039 #5,626
2016 modern 1,049 #5,555

Geography

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Where Craiks are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to South Tyneside, Lochside and Lincluden, New Abbey, Dalbeattie Rural and Brechin East. 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 Forfar Forfar
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Brechin Forfar

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Tyneside 017 South Tyneside
2 Lochside and Lincluden Dumfries and Galloway
3 New Abbey Dumfries and Galloway
4 Dalbeattie Rural Dumfries and Galloway
5 Brechin East Angus

Forenames

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First names often paired with Craik

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Craik

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

Read profile summary

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, Craik 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

Craik 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

Craik falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Craik 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 Craik, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Craik

The surname Craik is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic word 'craig', meaning 'rock' or 'crag'. It is believed to have first appeared in the Lowlands of Scotland, particularly in the areas around Edinburgh and the Scottish Borders, during the 12th or 13th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a record of Scottish nobles who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The name appears as 'Craik', suggesting it was already an established surname by that time.

The Craik family is thought to have originated from the lands of Craik, a small village located near the town of Sanquhar in Dumfriesshire. This place name itself is derived from the Gaelic 'craig', further reinforcing the connection between the surname and its geographical roots.

In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the surname Craik was Robert Craik, a Scottish clergyman and author who lived from 1505 to 1559. He served as the minister of the Church of St. Michael in Linlithgow and wrote several religious works, including a treatise on the sacraments.

Another significant individual with the Craik surname was James Craik, a Scottish-American physician who lived from 1730 to 1814. He served as a surgeon in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War and was a close friend and personal physician to George Washington.

In the literary world, Dinah Maria Mulock Craik, born in 1826 and died in 1887, was a prominent English novelist and poet. Her most famous work, "John Halifax, Gentleman", was a bestseller in its time and praised for its depiction of middle-class life.

William Craik, born in 1825 and died in 1900, was a Scottish journalist and author who published several works on Scottish history and folklore. His book "The Twa Brochers" is considered a classic in Scottish literature.

The Craik surname has also been associated with notable academics, such as Sir Henry Craik, a Scottish classical scholar and educator who lived from 1846 to 1927. He served as the Rector of the University of St. Andrews and was knighted for his contributions to education.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Craik families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Craik 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. Angus leads with 256 Craiks recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.89x.

County Total Index
Angus 256 30.89x
Midlothian 106 8.85x
Kirkcudbrightshire 86 66.41x
Lancashire 59 0.56x
Northumberland 47 3.53x
Roxburghshire 44 27.16x
Aberdeenshire 39 4.71x
Durham 39 1.47x
Dumfriesshire 33 16.70x
Berwickshire 26 24.00x
Perthshire 26 6.48x
East Lothian 19 16.04x
Lanarkshire 19 0.66x
Cumberland 16 2.08x
Gloucestershire 10 0.57x
Banffshire 9 4.85x
Yorkshire 9 0.10x
Middlesex 8 0.09x
Peeblesshire 8 19.02x
Ayrshire 7 1.05x
Glamorgan 7 0.45x
Kent 6 0.20x
Renfrewshire 5 0.72x
Wigtownshire 5 4.21x
Buckinghamshire 4 0.74x
Selkirkshire 4 4.94x
Staffordshire 4 0.13x
Essex 3 0.17x
Surrey 3 0.07x
Inverness-shire 2 0.75x
Berkshire 1 0.15x
Caithness 1 0.82x
Fife 1 0.19x
Isle of Man 1 0.60x
Orkney 1 1.02x
Somerset 1 0.07x
Stirlingshire 1 0.30x
Sussex 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Forfar in Angus leads with 79 Craiks recorded in 1881 and an index of 176.06x.

Place Total Index
Forfar 79 176.06x
Dundee 30 9.70x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 29 6.02x
Kirriemuir 28 136.92x
Hawick 26 71.70x
Tweedmouth 25 150.69x
Montrose 24 47.79x
Brechin 22 67.55x
Urr 22 130.64x
Warrington 22 17.48x
Westoe 21 13.92x
St Vigeans 19 42.48x
Lasswade 18 65.69x
Wilton 17 95.61x
Berwick Upon Tweed 15 53.19x
Colvend 15 381.68x
St Cuthbert W O 13 34.63x
Airlie 12 451.13x
Dunbar 12 72.25x
Annan 11 64.82x
Barony 11 1.50x
Kirkgunzeon 11 547.26x
Dumfries 10 51.31x
Edinburgh St Georges 10 40.21x
Turriff 10 74.79x
Buittle 9 296.05x
Carlaverock 9 279.50x
South Leith 9 6.67x
Fraserburgh 8 34.31x
Gateshead 8 4.02x
Kirkdale 8 4.48x
Liff Benvie 8 6.36x
Longformacus 8 677.97x
Newlands 8 318.73x
Rerrick 8 144.14x
Tannadice 8 207.25x
Westbury On Trym 8 13.46x
Aldingham 7 197.18x
Coldingham 7 71.87x
Currie 7 95.37x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 7 6.07x
Lintrathen 7 355.33x
Rattray 7 74.87x
Eccleston In Prescot 6 11.26x
Elswick 6 5.65x
Kirkcudbright 6 55.97x
New Deer 6 40.00x
Swansea Town 6 4.70x
Edinburgh St Stephens 5 21.20x
Edinburgh Tron Church 5 88.97x
Kelton 5 46.99x
Penninghame 5 41.29x
Perth East Church 5 13.21x
Perth West Church 5 26.25x
Wigan 5 3.37x
Balmaghie 4 140.85x
Barrow In Furness 4 2.77x
Bradwell 4 52.56x
Brewood 4 45.92x
Coldstream 4 51.02x
Dalkeith 4 16.92x
Dunnichen 4 91.53x
Fordyce 4 29.96x
Fyvie 4 29.59x
Gamrie 4 19.31x
Glamis 4 80.00x
Glasgow 4 0.78x
Govan 4 0.56x
Innerwick 4 168.07x
Kirkbean 4 160.64x
New Cumnock 4 34.45x
Selkirk 4 17.54x
West Greenock 4 3.21x
Aberdeen Old Machar 3 1.73x
Arbroath 3 10.93x
Auchterless 3 45.59x
Beckenham 3 7.52x
Canterbury St Mary 3 14.65x
Everton 3 0.89x
Logie 3 20.83x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 14
Margaret 11
Elizabeth 8
Jane 7
Ann 5
Annie 5
Catherine 4
Isabella 4
Agnes 3
Ellen 3
Jessie 3
Lucy 3
Emily 2
Georgina 2
Margt. 2
Sarah 2
Anne 1
Beatice 1
Bertha 1
Blanche 1
Cath.Agnus 1
Clara 1
Dinah 1
Doratha 1
Dorothy 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Elizth. 1
Elleanor 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Helen 1
Henretta 1
Ida 1
Jannet 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Lilly 1
Louisa 1
Maggie 1
Maria 1
Marth 1
Martha 1
Minnie 1
Penelope 1
Phillis 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 16
George 13
James 13
Robert 9
Joseph 6
Thomas 6
William 6
Alexander 4
Andrew 4
Henry 3
Arthur 2
David 2
Peter 2
Samuel 2
Alxnd. 1
Benjamin 1
Geo.T. 1
Hny. 1
Jas.Jackson 1
Jno. 1
Johnston 1
Louis 1
Matthew 1
Miles 1
Nicholas 1
Ralph 1
Robt.Francis 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Craik surname: questions and answers

How common was the Craik surname in 1881?

In 1881, 924 people were recorded with the Craik surname. That placed it at #4,156 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Craik surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,049 in 2016. That gives Craik a modern rank of #5,555.

What does the Craik surname mean?

A habitational surname derived from a place name, possibly referring to someone from a crooked or winding place.

What does the Craik map show?

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