NameCensus.

UK surname

Cranson

An English habitational surname referring to someone from Cranston, Derbyshire.

In the 1881 census there were 31 people recorded with the Cranson surname, ranking it #29,218 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 103, ranked #30,515, down from #29,218 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham and Northumberland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cranson is 111 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 232.3%.

1881 census count

31

Ranked #29,218

Modern count

103

2016, ranked #30,515

Peak year

2011

111 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cranson had 31 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,218 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 103 in 2016, ranked #30,515.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 98 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Cranson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cranson surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cranson 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 37 #26,673
1861 historical 81 #23,431
1881 historical 31 #29,218
1891 historical 53 #29,946
1901 historical 83 #24,900
1911 historical 98 #22,959
1997 modern 100 #26,901
1998 modern 95 #28,303
1999 modern 91 #28,937
2000 modern 95 #28,441
2001 modern 94 #28,246
2002 modern 93 #28,920
2003 modern 97 #28,217
2004 modern 94 #28,896
2005 modern 91 #29,406
2006 modern 87 #30,292
2007 modern 93 #29,777
2008 modern 93 #30,123
2009 modern 99 #29,754
2010 modern 109 #28,831
2011 modern 111 #28,294
2012 modern 102 #29,902
2013 modern 99 #30,934
2014 modern 103 #30,539
2015 modern 101 #30,816
2016 modern 103 #30,515

Geography

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Where Cransons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham and Northumberland. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 040 County Durham
2 County Durham 010 County Durham
3 Northumberland 022 Northumberland
4 County Durham 048 County Durham
5 Northumberland 029 Northumberland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cranson

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cranson

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Cranson is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Cranson 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

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

Meaning and origin of Cranson

The surname Cranson is of English origin, with records indicating its earliest use dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "cran" and "sunu," which together translate to "son of the crane." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived near or had some association with cranes.

Cranson is a locational surname, meaning it was likely initially given to someone who hailed from a specific place. Some historical records indicate that it may be connected to the village of Cranston, located in the English county of Norfolk. This village name is thought to have evolved from the Old English "Cran's tun," meaning "Cran's farm or settlement."

One of the earliest known references to the surname Cranson can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Norfolk, a historical record compiled in 1273. This document mentions a family by the name of "de Craneston," which is believed to be an early variant spelling of the modern Cranson.

In the 14th century, records from the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire list a person named John Cranson, who was involved in a legal dispute over property in the year 1348. This provides evidence of the surname's use during this period.

One notable individual bearing the Cranson surname was William Cranson, a prominent English merchant and MP who lived in the 16th century (c. 1520 - 1580). He served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Thetford, Norfolk, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another historical figure was Robert Cranson (1628 - 1699), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Rector of Brampton Ash in Northamptonshire. He was also a Fellow of St John's College, Cambridge, and published several theological works during his lifetime.

In the 18th century, there was a family of Cransons residing in the village of Wrentham, Suffolk, England. One member of this family, John Cranson (1705 - 1788), was a notable landowner and farmer in the area.

Moving into the 19th century, we find George Cranson (1815 - 1892), an English architect who was responsible for designing several notable buildings in London, including the Royal Albert Hall and the Albert Memorial.

While the surname Cranson is not extremely common, it has persisted throughout history and can be traced back to its English origins. These examples illustrate the presence of this surname across various regions of England and its association with individuals from different walks of life.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cranson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cranson 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 23 Cransons recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.57x.

County Total Index
Durham 23 25.57x
Northumberland 4 8.89x
Lanarkshire 2 2.05x
Middlesex 1 0.33x
Yorkshire 1 0.33x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Byers Green in Durham leads with 8 Cransons recorded in 1881 and an index of 3200.00x.

Place Total Index
Byers Green 8 3200.00x
Chilton 7 2500.00x
Esh 7 1076.92x
Govan 2 8.27x
Sturton Grange 2 20000.00x
Bromley London 1 15.04x
Crook Billy Row 1 86.96x
Jesmond 1 158.73x
North Shields 1 111.11x
Stanghow 1 833.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 3
Ralph 3
Joseph 2
William 2
George 1
James 1
Richard 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 Cranson households.

FAQ

Cranson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cranson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 31 people were recorded with the Cranson surname. That placed it at #29,218 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cranson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 103 in 2016. That gives Cranson a modern rank of #30,515.

What does the Cranson surname mean?

An English habitational surname referring to someone from Cranston, Derbyshire.

What does the Cranson map show?

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