NameCensus.

UK surname

Cram

An English occupational surname referring to a merchant or seller of wares.

In the 1881 census there were 584 people recorded with the Cram surname, ranking it #5,979 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 578, ranked #8,965, down from #5,979 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Alloa, London parishes and Dollar. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Tyneside, Whitecraigs and Broom and Sunderland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cram is 618 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 1.0%.

1881 census count

584

Ranked #5,979

Modern count

578

2016, ranked #8,965

Peak year

1999

618 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cram had 584 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,979 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 578 in 2016, ranked #8,965.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 607 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Cram surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cram surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cram 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 453 #5,441
1861 historical 528 #4,969
1881 historical 584 #5,979
1891 historical 607 #6,324
1901 historical 526 #7,760
1911 historical 538 #7,408
1997 modern 564 #8,501
1998 modern 575 #8,622
1999 modern 618 #8,282
2000 modern 606 #8,374
2001 modern 581 #8,469
2002 modern 589 #8,561
2003 modern 578 #8,546
2004 modern 569 #8,653
2005 modern 565 #8,633
2006 modern 561 #8,698
2007 modern 546 #8,953
2008 modern 550 #8,965
2009 modern 561 #9,028
2010 modern 592 #8,874
2011 modern 583 #8,880
2012 modern 573 #8,900
2013 modern 586 #8,883
2014 modern 586 #8,954
2015 modern 586 #8,884
2016 modern 578 #8,965

Geography

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Where Crams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Alloa, London parishes, Dollar, Gateshead and Crieff. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Tyneside, Whitecraigs and Broom 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 Alloa Clackmannan
2 London parishes London 3
3 Dollar Clackmannan
4 Gateshead Durham
5 Crieff Perth

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Tyneside 010 South Tyneside
2 South Tyneside 015 South Tyneside
3 South Tyneside 009 South Tyneside
4 Whitecraigs and Broom East Renfrewshire
5 Sunderland 036 Sunderland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cram

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cram

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Cram, 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 Cram surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Cram 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Cram is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Cram 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

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

Meaning and origin of Cram

The surname CRAM has its origins in England, where it first emerged in the 12th century as a variant spelling of the Old English word "cræm", meaning a small trading booth or stall. The name likely referred to an individual who operated a trading stall or market booth.

CRAM is thought to have originated in the county of Somerset, where early records show the name appearing in various forms, including Crame, Cramme, and Crayme. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Robert Crame, who is mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Somerset in 1194.

During the Middle Ages, the surname CRAM began to spread to other parts of England, including London, where it is recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of 1292. In these early records, the name is often found with various spellings, reflecting the inconsistencies of medieval English orthography.

The name CRAM is not found in the Domesday Book of 1086, as it had not yet emerged at that time. However, it is possible that the name is derived from a place name that was recorded in the Domesday survey, such as Crambe in Yorkshire or Cramlington in Northumberland.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was John Cram, who was born in Somerset around 1350. In the 15th century, the name appears in the records of the city of Bristol, where a Thomas Cram is mentioned in 1467.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname CRAM, including:

1. Ralph Adams Cram (1863-1942), an American architect and writer known for his Gothic Revival style buildings. 2. George Franklin Cram (1842-1928), an American publisher and founder of the George F. Cram Company, which produced atlases and maps. 3. William Everett Cram (1871-1948), an American lawyer and politician who served as the 34th Governor of Massachusetts from 1923 to 1925. 4. James M. Cram (1847-1928), an American politician and businessman who served as the Mayor of Lockport, New York, in the late 19th century. 5. Mildred Cram (1889-1985), an American writer and educator who published several books on gardening and horticulture.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cram families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cram 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. Durham leads with 101 Crams recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.96x.

County Total Index
Durham 101 5.96x
Lincolnshire 92 10.10x
Clackmannanshire 47 99.89x
Stirlingshire 30 14.28x
Perthshire 27 10.56x
Middlesex 24 0.42x
Surrey 23 0.83x
Renfrewshire 22 4.98x
Hampshire 20 1.71x
Glamorgan 18 1.81x
Yorkshire 18 0.32x
Berkshire 17 3.98x
Northumberland 17 2.01x
Lanarkshire 16 0.87x
Angus 13 2.46x
Kent 12 0.62x
Warwickshire 12 0.84x
Nottinghamshire 11 1.43x
Fife 10 2.97x
Sussex 8 0.83x
Shetland 6 10.31x
Argyllshire 4 2.52x
Gloucestershire 4 0.36x
Midlothian 4 0.52x
Monmouthshire 4 0.97x
Norfolk 4 0.46x
Northamptonshire 4 0.75x
Somerset 4 0.44x
East Lothian 2 2.65x
Lancashire 2 0.03x
Devon 1 0.08x
Dorset 1 0.27x
Essex 1 0.09x
Kinross-shire 1 6.94x
Ross-shire 1 0.64x
Staffordshire 1 0.05x
Suffolk 1 0.14x
Worcestershire 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Alloa in Clackmannanshire leads with 18 Crams recorded in 1881 and an index of 78.88x.

Place Total Index
Alloa 18 78.88x
Hungerford 17 294.12x
Anderby 13 2407.41x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 13 17.71x
Whitworth 13 104.75x
Aston 12 3.03x
Cardiff St Andrews 12 1061.95x
Dollar 12 245.90x
Wainfleet St Mary 12 869.57x
Barony 11 2.36x
Clackmannan 11 123.73x
Hetton Le Hole 11 51.21x
Chilton 10 189.04x
Port Glasgow 10 46.86x
Sunderland 10 33.41x
Denny 9 80.50x
Dunfermline 9 17.36x
Kensington London 9 2.84x
Middridge 9 535.71x
West Greenock 9 11.36x
Bournmoor 8 300.75x
Croft 8 540.54x
East Molesey 8 124.22x
Montrose 8 25.02x
Norton In Malton 8 116.96x
St Ninians 8 38.41x
Tynemouth 8 17.63x
Ulceby 8 360.36x
Deptford St Paul 7 4.67x
Aberfoyle 6 652.17x
Clayton 6 165.75x
Cleethorpes 6 111.94x
Delting 6 183.49x
Gateshead 6 4.73x
Huttoft 6 512.82x
Lambeth 6 1.21x
Tillicoultry 6 57.31x
West Retford 6 377.36x
Alva 5 49.90x
Burgh In Marsh 5 225.23x
Caputh 5 124.38x
Cardiff St John 5 15.43x
Christchurch 5 19.75x
Exbury 5 746.27x
Glendevon 5 1724.14x
Hartlepool 5 20.76x
Nottingham St Peter 5 58.41x
Overton 5 179.21x
Washington 5 70.32x
Welton In The Marsh 5 684.93x
Aldershot 4 10.22x
Bermondsey 4 2.36x
Bishopwearmouth 4 2.75x
Dalby 4 1290.32x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 4 1.30x
Islington London 4 0.72x
Leckhampton 4 58.14x
Monkwearmouth Shore 4 12.09x
Norwich St Peter Mancroft 4 90.91x
Perth West Church 4 32.98x
Southwark Christchurch 4 14.99x
Wellingborough 4 14.85x
Addlethorpe 3 625.00x
Branston 3 107.53x
Dalserf 3 16.32x
Falkirk 3 6.10x
Hannah Cum Hagnaby 3 1304.35x
Ingoldmells 3 638.30x
Kinnoull 3 44.64x
Kirriemuir 3 23.04x
Knapdale South 3 55.05x
Plumstead 3 4.63x
Wellington 3 24.14x
Bethnal Green London 2 0.81x
Chollerton 2 84.03x
East Greenock 2 4.80x
Govan 2 0.44x
Lewisham 2 1.93x
Lythe 2 88.89x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 2 9.92x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 22
Elizabeth 15
Sarah 12
Ann 10
Jane 9
Emma 7
Margaret 7
Charlotte 5
Lucy 5
Annie 4
Ellen 4
Jessie 4
Ada 3
Agnes 3
Alice 3
Catherine 3
Clara 3
Esther 3
Fanny 3
Florence 3
Hannah 3
Lizzie 3
Susan 3
Anna 2
Barbara 2
Betsy 2
Eleanor 2
Eliza 2
Emily 2
Kate 2
Louise 2
Matilda 2
May 2
Rebecca 2
Sophia 2
Bertha 1
Cathrine 1
Elinor 1
Eliz.Jane 1
Filis 1
Florry 1
Geraldine 1
Jan 1
Lavinia 1
Lilley 1
Louisa 1
Maria 1
Marie 1
Martha 1
Victoria 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 30
John 29
George 20
James 17
Thomas 15
Robert 12
Charles 8
Edward 8
Henry 8
Frederick 5
Joseph 4
Isaac 3
Martin 3
Daniel 2
Ernest 2
Mathew 2
Matthew 2
Moses 2
Alfred 1
Archibald 1
Arthur 1
David 1
Eley 1
Eliza 1
Ephraim 1
Frdk.James 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
Giles 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
J. 1
Jacob 1
Jesse 1
Nicholson 1
Oliver 1
Patrick 1
Percy 1
Richard 1
Robt.B. 1
Saml 1
Samuel 1
Simpson 1
Smart 1
Thos.W. 1
Walter 1
Willie 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Cram surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cram surname in 1881?

In 1881, 584 people were recorded with the Cram surname. That placed it at #5,979 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cram surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 578 in 2016. That gives Cram a modern rank of #8,965.

What does the Cram surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a merchant or seller of wares.

What does the Cram map show?

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