NameCensus.

UK surname

Cranny

A locational surname derived from a place where crevices or cracks exist.

In the 1881 census there were 76 people recorded with the Cranny surname, ranking it #22,745 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 229, ranked #17,878, up from #22,745 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Jarrow, Gateshead and Liverpool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stockport, Neath Port Talbot and St. Helens.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cranny is 248 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 201.3%.

1881 census count

76

Ranked #22,745

Modern count

229

2016, ranked #17,878

Peak year

2010

248 bearers

Map years

4

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cranny had 76 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,745 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 229 in 2016, ranked #17,878.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 105 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Cranny surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cranny surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cranny 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 45 #25,168
1861 historical 52 #27,369
1881 historical 76 #22,745
1891 historical 105 #23,241
1901 historical 83 #24,900
1911 historical 87 #24,147
1997 modern 210 #17,104
1998 modern 213 #17,431
1999 modern 216 #17,364
2000 modern 222 #17,032
2001 modern 214 #17,211
2002 modern 223 #17,099
2003 modern 223 #16,905
2004 modern 222 #17,020
2005 modern 216 #17,283
2006 modern 216 #17,397
2007 modern 220 #17,377
2008 modern 221 #17,495
2009 modern 246 #16,597
2010 modern 248 #16,886
2011 modern 245 #16,874
2012 modern 234 #17,291
2013 modern 241 #17,202
2014 modern 240 #17,387
2015 modern 229 #17,846
2016 modern 229 #17,878

Geography

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Where Crannys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Jarrow, Gateshead, Liverpool, St Paul Shadwell, Ratcliff hamlet and Middlesborough. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stockport, Neath Port Talbot, St. Helens, Sefton and Manchester. 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 Jarrow Durham
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Liverpool Lancashire
4 St Paul Shadwell, Ratcliff hamlet London (East Districts)
5 Middlesborough Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stockport 007 Stockport
2 Neath Port Talbot 010 Neath Port Talbot
3 St. Helens 018 St. Helens
4 Sefton 028 Sefton
5 Manchester 017 Manchester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cranny

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cranny

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

Small Town Suburbia

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group is predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

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, Cranny 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

Cranny is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Cranny falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Cranny is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Cranny

The surname Cranny is of Irish origin and can be traced back to the 16th century. It is believed to have originated from the Gaelic word "crannach," which means "abounding in trees" or "woody place." This suggests that the name was likely derived from a topographical feature or a place name associated with a wooded area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Cranny name appears in the 1659 Census of Ireland, where it is listed as a variant spelling of the more common Irish surname "Crennan." This census provides valuable insights into the distribution and prevalence of surnames in Ireland during that time period.

In the 17th century, the name Cranny can be found in various historical records, such as the Hearth Money Rolls and the Petty Census of Ireland. These records often served as early census-like documents, providing glimpses into the lives and locations of families bearing the Cranny surname.

One notable individual with the Cranny surname was Edward Cranny, an Irish Protestant minister who lived from 1737 to 1796. He served as the rector of St. Mary's Church in Athlone, County Westmeath, and was known for his religious writings and sermons.

Another prominent figure was John Cranny, a 19th-century Irish politician and landowner. He was born in 1807 and served as a member of the United Kingdom Parliament, representing the borough of Dungarvan from 1857 to 1859.

The Cranny surname also has associations with various place names in Ireland. For instance, there is a townland called Cranny in County Longford, which may have contributed to the origins of the surname in that region.

In the 18th century, James Cranny, born in 1755, was a renowned Irish musician and composer. He is credited with composing several traditional Irish tunes that have been passed down through generations.

Lastly, Mary Cranny, born in 1826, was a notable Irish writer and poet. Her works often explored themes of Irish culture, folklore, and the struggles of rural life in her native County Sligo.

While the Cranny surname is not among the most common Irish surnames, it has a rich historical lineage and can be traced back to the 16th century, with roots in the Gaelic language and a possible connection to wooded areas or place names.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cranny families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cranny 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. Lancashire leads with 38 Crannys recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.26x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 38 4.26x
Durham 23 10.29x
Middlesex 7 0.93x
Yorkshire 7 0.94x
Cheshire 1 0.60x
Leicestershire 1 1.20x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bootle Cum Linacre in Lancashire leads with 16 Crannys recorded in 1881 and an index of 225.99x.

Place Total Index
Bootle Cum Linacre 16 225.99x
Kirkdale 13 86.72x
Brandon Byshottles 9 321.43x
Limehouse London 7 84.85x
Liverpool 7 12.93x
Middlesbrough 6 61.92x
Gateshead 5 29.89x
Monkwearmouth Shore 5 114.68x
Westoe 3 23.68x
Leicester St Margaret 1 4.92x
Manchester 1 2.50x
Nantwich 1 51.81x
Salford 1 3.82x
Starforth 1 769.23x
Stranton 1 13.30x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Elizabeth 7
Bridget 3
Catherine 2
Jane 2
Agnes 1
Anna 1
Annie 1
Cathe. 1
Dorothy 1
Ellen 1
Harriet 1
Julia 1
Louisa 1
Margarate 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Winfred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 7
John 5
William 5
Thomas 4
Edward 3
Joseph 3
Michael 3
Patrick 2
Dennis 1
Infant 1
Jas. 1
Jos. 1
Matthew 1
Maurice 1
Richard 1
Thos. 1
Wm 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 Cranny households.

FAQ

Cranny surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cranny surname in 1881?

In 1881, 76 people were recorded with the Cranny surname. That placed it at #22,745 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cranny surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 229 in 2016. That gives Cranny a modern rank of #17,878.

What does the Cranny surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place where crevices or cracks exist.

What does the Cranny map show?

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