NameCensus.

UK surname

Crawshaw

A locational surname originating from a place name referring to a crow-wood or crow's grove.

In the 1881 census there were 2,335 people recorded with the Crawshaw surname, ranking it #1,904 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,123, ranked #3,043, down from #1,904 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ecclesfield, Mirfield and Halifax. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Calderdale, Sheffield and Kirklees.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Crawshaw is 2,975 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 9.1%.

1881 census count

2,335

Ranked #1,904

Modern count

2,123

2016, ranked #3,043

Peak year

1911

2,975 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Crawshaw had 2,335 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,904 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,123 in 2016, ranked #3,043.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,975 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Crawshaw surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Crawshaw surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Crawshaw 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 1,528 #1,871
1861 historical 1,464 #1,938
1881 historical 2,335 #1,904
1891 historical 2,614 #1,824
1901 historical 2,930 #1,909
1911 historical 2,975 #1,746
1997 modern 2,242 #2,766
1998 modern 2,338 #2,770
1999 modern 2,368 #2,761
2000 modern 2,347 #2,764
2001 modern 2,300 #2,756
2002 modern 2,296 #2,814
2003 modern 2,230 #2,826
2004 modern 2,166 #2,910
2005 modern 2,074 #2,979
2006 modern 2,102 #2,951
2007 modern 2,115 #2,965
2008 modern 2,100 #3,001
2009 modern 2,158 #3,007
2010 modern 2,196 #3,016
2011 modern 2,162 #3,023
2012 modern 2,154 #2,973
2013 modern 2,175 #2,996
2014 modern 2,170 #3,021
2015 modern 2,144 #3,023
2016 modern 2,123 #3,043

Geography

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Where Crawshaws are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ecclesfield, Mirfield, Halifax, Batley and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Calderdale, Sheffield, Kirklees and Leeds. 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 Ecclesfield Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Mirfield Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Batley Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Calderdale 027 Calderdale
2 Sheffield 008 Sheffield
3 Kirklees 041 Kirklees
4 Kirklees 018 Kirklees
5 Leeds 101 Leeds

Forenames

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First names often paired with Crawshaw

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Crawshaw

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Crawshaw surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Crawshaw household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Crawshaw 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

Crawshaw 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

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

Meaning and origin of Crawshaw

The surname Crawshaw is of English origin, originating in the county of Lancashire, England, during the late 13th century. It is derived from the Old English words "craw" meaning "crow" and "sceaga" meaning "grove" or "small wood," indicating that the name likely referred to someone who lived near a wooded area frequented by crows.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Crawshaw dates back to 1292, when a Robert de Craweschaw was mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Lancashire. The name was also found in various spellings such as Crawshaw, Crashaw, Craushaw, and Crawshay during the medieval period.

In the 16th century, the Crawshaw family was well-established in the parish of Whalley, Lancashire, where they held land and property. One notable member of the family was Richard Crawshaw (c. 1535-1610), a Catholic priest and theologian who studied at the English College in Douai, France, and later served as a missionary in England during the Elizabethan era.

The Crawshaw name also appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The entry refers to a place called "Craweshall" in Yorkshire, which may have been named after an early bearer of the Crawshaw surname.

Towards the end of the 16th century, the Crawshaw family began to migrate to other parts of England, and some members even settled in Ireland and Scotland. One notable figure was Sir Cuthbert Crawshaw (1593-1659), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Newcastle-upon-Tyne during the English Civil War.

Other notable individuals with the Crawshaw surname include:

1. Richard Crawshaw (1779-1840), an English clergyman and author of theological works. 2. Aidan Crawshaw (1908-1993), a British athlete who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics. 3. Samuel Crawshaw (1784-1860), an English engineer who designed and built several bridges in Yorkshire and Lancashire. 4. William Crawshaw (1892-1974), a British painter and war artist known for his depictions of World War I. 5. John Crawshaw (1837-1911), a British politician and Member of Parliament for Rawtenstall from 1892 to 1900.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Crawshaw families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Crawshaw 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. Yorkshire leads with 1,315 Crawshaws recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.84x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 1,315 5.84x
Lancashire 757 2.81x
Lincolnshire 69 1.90x
Cheshire 62 1.24x
Derbyshire 37 1.04x
Middlesex 20 0.09x
Hampshire 10 0.21x
Hertfordshire 9 0.57x
Kent 7 0.09x
Sussex 6 0.16x
Gloucestershire 4 0.09x
Montgomeryshire 4 0.77x
Staffordshire 4 0.05x
Westmorland 4 0.80x
Leicestershire 3 0.12x
Worcestershire 3 0.10x
Devon 2 0.04x
Royal Navy 2 0.74x
Somerset 2 0.05x
Surrey 2 0.02x
Warwickshire 2 0.03x
Berkshire 1 0.06x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.11x
Dorset 1 0.07x
Essex 1 0.02x
Glamorgan 1 0.03x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dewsbury in Yorkshire leads with 184 Crawshaws recorded in 1881 and an index of 79.66x.

Place Total Index
Dewsbury 184 79.66x
Mirfield 84 67.93x
Bradfield 77 88.68x
Accrington 70 28.55x
Bury 47 15.26x
Batley 45 21.02x
Tottington Lower End 38 29.65x
Huddersfield 36 10.97x
Halifax 35 10.58x
Heckmondwike 35 48.32x
Newchurch 35 15.86x
Skircoat 35 39.41x
Soyland 34 125.83x
Liversedge 32 31.92x
Eccleston In Chorley 31 442.86x
Sheffield 31 4.32x
Wakefield 29 16.77x
Leeds 27 2.12x
Almondbury 24 22.04x
Blackburn 24 3.34x
Newton 24 11.55x
Elton 23 24.68x
Colne 22 27.38x
Church 21 55.15x
Hunslet 20 5.69x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 20 24.86x
Pilkington 20 19.52x
Tranmere 19 10.30x
Chorlton On Medlock 18 4.20x
Doncaster 18 10.94x
Worsley 18 10.83x
Wortley In Bramley 18 10.09x
Headingley Cum Burley 17 11.73x
Hulme 17 3.02x
Brightside Bierlow 16 3.62x
Cowpe Lench Newhall Hey 16 55.52x
Ecclesfield 16 9.69x
Epworth 16 94.40x
Oldham 16 1.84x
Spotland 16 5.34x
Bradford 15 2.75x
Bramley In Bramley 15 17.40x
Nether Hallam 15 4.92x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 15 25.99x
Warley 15 23.04x
Lindley Cum Quarmby 14 24.64x
Rawmarsh 14 17.59x
Gomersal 13 12.37x
Habergham Eaves 13 5.27x
Higher Booths 13 26.74x
Oswaldtwistle 13 13.64x
Over Darwen 13 6.03x
Castleton 12 4.46x
Padiham 12 18.42x
Pendleton In Salford 12 3.73x
Rishworth 12 138.89x
Barnsley 11 4.73x
Droylsden 11 12.50x
Hunshelf 11 99.64x
Ludworth 11 65.63x
Soothill 11 13.52x
Thurgoland 11 72.42x
Wigan 11 2.92x
Chadderton 10 7.58x
Hipperholme Cum 10 10.11x
Manningham 10 3.60x
Norton 10 34.11x
Ovenden 10 9.98x
Radcliffe 10 7.69x
Thornhill 10 15.22x
Ashton Under Lyne 9 1.53x
Dukinfield 9 3.88x
Garthorpe 9 205.95x
Horton In Bradford 9 2.56x
Ince In Makerfield 9 7.17x
Southcoates 9 7.20x
St Marylebone London 9 0.74x
Walton On Hill 9 6.16x
Warmsworth 8 246.91x
York St Margaret 8 57.27x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 174
Sarah 111
Elizabeth 80
Alice 59
Ann 55
Ellen 45
Hannah 45
Annie 39
Jane 39
Emma 32
Margaret 30
Clara 23
Ada 22
Eliza 22
Martha 22
Emily 17
Harriet 13
Edith 12
Charlotte 11
Ruth 11
Sophia 11
Betsy 10
Louisa 10
Maria 10
Nancy 10
Catherine 9
Lucy 9
Susannah 9
Amelia 8
Fanny 8
Bertha 7
Florence 7
Anne 6
Caroline 6
Frances 6
Kate 6
Betty 5
Elizth. 5
Esther 5
Laura 5
Rebecca 5
Agnes 4
Eleanor 4
Gertrude 4
Grace 4
Maggie 4
Harriett 3
Lily 3
Lydia 3
Rachel 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 124
William 89
Thomas 79
George 77
James 71
Joseph 46
Richard 38
Henry 30
Arthur 26
Charles 25
Samuel 22
Harry 18
Robert 18
Alfred 17
Edward 17
Fred 17
Albert 16
Walter 15
Herbert 13
Frank 12
Benjamin 11
Joe 11
David 10
Edwin 9
Frederick 9
Joshua 9
Ernest 8
Tom 8
Daniel 6
Francis 6
Leonard 6
Ralph 6
Amos 5
Edmund 5
Geo. 5
Jesse 5
Jonathan 5
Luke 5
Abraham 4
Eli 4
Isaac 4
Jno. 4
Mark 4
Sidney 4
Simon 4
Stephen 4
Willie 4
Wm. 4
Andrew 3
Enoch 3

FAQ

Crawshaw surname: questions and answers

How common was the Crawshaw surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,335 people were recorded with the Crawshaw surname. That placed it at #1,904 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Crawshaw surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,123 in 2016. That gives Crawshaw a modern rank of #3,043.

What does the Crawshaw surname mean?

A locational surname originating from a place name referring to a crow-wood or crow's grove.

What does the Crawshaw map show?

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