NameCensus.

UK surname

Craze

A surname derived from a word meaning frenzy or mania.

In the 1881 census there were 347 people recorded with the Craze surname, ranking it #8,811 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 481, ranked #10,275, down from #8,811 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Illogan, Gwennap and Camborne. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Merthyr Tydfil, Cornwall and Huntingdonshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Craze is 518 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 38.6%.

1881 census count

347

Ranked #8,811

Modern count

481

2016, ranked #10,275

Peak year

1901

518 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Craze had 347 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,811 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 481 in 2016, ranked #10,275.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 518 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Craze surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Craze surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Craze 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 346 #6,798
1861 historical 233 #10,501
1881 historical 347 #8,811
1891 historical 404 #8,802
1901 historical 518 #7,842
1911 historical 515 #7,658
1997 modern 487 #9,482
1998 modern 502 #9,562
1999 modern 490 #9,811
2000 modern 456 #10,321
2001 modern 454 #10,162
2002 modern 459 #10,264
2003 modern 478 #9,807
2004 modern 477 #9,833
2005 modern 469 #9,892
2006 modern 466 #9,977
2007 modern 488 #9,740
2008 modern 488 #9,827
2009 modern 500 #9,862
2010 modern 492 #10,178
2011 modern 484 #10,194
2012 modern 493 #9,975
2013 modern 497 #10,063
2014 modern 484 #10,338
2015 modern 479 #10,327
2016 modern 481 #10,275

Geography

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Where Crazes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Illogan, Gwennap, Camborne, Tavistock. Whitechurch, St Peter Tavy and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Merthyr Tydfil, Cornwall and Huntingdonshire. 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 Illogan Cornwall
2 Gwennap Cornwall
3 Camborne Cornwall
4 Tavistock. Whitechurch, St Peter Tavy Devon
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Merthyr Tydfil 003 Merthyr Tydfil
2 Cornwall 015 Cornwall
3 Merthyr Tydfil 008 Merthyr Tydfil
4 Huntingdonshire 018 Huntingdonshire
5 Cornwall 040 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Craze

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Craze

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

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Craze surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Craze 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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, Craze 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

Craze is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Craze falls in decile 4 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Craze

The surname CRAZE originates from England, with its roots traced back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "crasen," meaning "to break" or "to crush." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who worked in a trade involving breaking or crushing materials.

During the medieval period, the CRAZE surname was predominantly found in the counties of Lincolnshire and Yorkshire. In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, one of the earliest records of the name, it appears as "Crase," indicating a slight variation in spelling.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the CRAZE surname was John Craze, born around 1420 in Lincolnshire. He was a prominent landowner and is mentioned in several local records from the mid-15th century.

In the 16th century, the CRAZE surname appeared in various parish records across England. Notable individuals from this era include William Craze (1532-1602), a merchant from London, and Thomas Craze (1567-1625), a farmer from Yorkshire.

The CRAZE surname has also been linked to several place names in England, such as Craze Mere in Shropshire and Craze Nook in Cumbria. These place names likely derived from Old English words related to the meaning of the surname.

During the 17th century, the CRAZE surname gained more prominence. One notable figure was Robert Craze (1628-1697), a renowned clockmaker from London, known for his intricate and innovative timepiece designs.

In the 18th century, the CRAZE surname continued to appear in various records across England. Notable individuals from this period include Mary Craze (1712-1789), a writer and poet from Yorkshire, and John Craze (1745-1818), a successful merchant from Lincolnshire.

The 19th century saw the CRAZE surname spread further across the United Kingdom and beyond. One prominent figure was Sir George Craze (1820-1892), a British military officer who served in the Crimean War and later became a Member of Parliament.

As the centuries passed, the CRAZE surname has maintained its presence in various parts of the world, with descendants settling in countries like the United States, Canada, and Australia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Craze families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Craze 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. Cornwall leads with 216 Crazes recorded in 1881 and an index of 56.37x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 216 56.37x
Devon 56 7.95x
Lancashire 21 0.52x
Middlesex 18 0.53x
Somerset 13 2.39x
Durham 7 0.70x
Glamorgan 4 0.68x
Yorkshire 4 0.12x
Gloucestershire 3 0.45x
Surrey 3 0.18x
Essex 2 0.30x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Illogan in Cornwall leads with 62 Crazes recorded in 1881 and an index of 610.84x.

Place Total Index
Illogan 62 610.84x
Tavistock 40 498.13x
St Ives 32 426.67x
Camborne 16 101.33x
Phillack 13 262.63x
Dunster 10 769.23x
Liverpool 10 4.10x
Madron 9 290.32x
St Agnes 9 167.60x
Perranzabuloe 8 241.69x
St Just In Penwith 8 107.67x
St Neot 8 529.80x
Stoke Damerel 8 16.22x
Gateshead 7 9.29x
St George In East London 7 21.98x
Callington 6 269.06x
Calstock 6 79.89x
Kea 6 209.79x
Mile End Old Town London 6 8.33x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 4 32.84x
Kensington London 4 2.13x
Kenwyn 4 39.92x
Ludgvan 4 131.15x
Mawnan 4 666.67x
Redruth 4 36.90x
West Derby 4 3.40x
Everton 3 2.34x
Gulval 3 121.46x
Gwennap 3 41.49x
Lambeth 3 1.02x
Perranuthnoe 3 285.71x
Ystradyfodwg 3 5.80x
Cheetham 2 6.68x
Loughton 2 60.61x
Madron Penzance 2 14.36x
Plymouth Charles The 2 6.44x
Shepton Mallet 2 32.73x
St Austell 2 15.27x
Bristol St George 1 3.26x
Bristol St Thomas 1 131.58x
Clifton 1 2.98x
Devonport 1 12.35x
Exeter St Sidwell 1 6.20x
Exminster 1 39.53x
Linkinhorne 1 37.45x
Loxhore 1 416.67x
Neath 1 8.34x
Okehampton 1 37.59x
Plymouth St Andrew 1 1.84x
Probus 1 63.69x
Ratcliffe London 1 5.35x
St Clement 1 25.00x
Towednack 1 133.33x
Trull 1 90.09x
Walton On Hill 1 4.60x
Wardleworth 1 4.36x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 26
Elizabeth 21
Jane 10
Emily 9
Ann 6
Annie 6
Sarah 6
Edith 5
Eliza 5
Emma 4
Fanny 4
Susan 4
Anne 3
Caroline 3
Catherine 3
Alice 2
Candace 2
Elizth. 2
Ellen 2
Florence 2
Grace 2
Hannah 2
Lucy 2
Margaret 2
Rebecca 2
Asenath 1
Betsy 1
Cath. 1
Christiana 1
Eleanor 1
Elizbth. 1
Elizebeth 1
Etheldra 1
Felina 1
Frances 1
Georgina 1
Gertrude 1
Janie 1
Kitty 1
Lois 1
Louisa 1
Lousia 1
Lovica 1
Lydia 1
M. 1
Mable 1
Margret 1
Maria 1
Mariana 1
Wilmot 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 27
William 26
Thomas 19
Charles 14
James 12
Richard 7
Edward 6
George 5
Alfred 4
Henry 4
Joseph 3
Robert 3
Wm. 3
Abraham 2
Ernest 2
Fred 2
Frederick 2
Samuel 2
Albert 1
Arthur 1
Ben 1
Benjamin 1
Bethuel 1
Edgar 1
Frances 1
Francies 1
Frederic 1
Fredrick 1
Harry 1
Honor 1
Horatio 1
Hy. 1
Jabes 1
Josiah 1
Lewis 1
Louis 1
Maurice 1
Ric..J. 1
Richd. 1
Romilly 1
Simon 1
Thos.Jas. 1
Ths.J. 1
W. 1
Willie 1
Willm.P. 1
Wm.Geo. 1

FAQ

Craze surname: questions and answers

How common was the Craze surname in 1881?

In 1881, 347 people were recorded with the Craze surname. That placed it at #8,811 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Craze surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 481 in 2016. That gives Craze a modern rank of #10,275.

What does the Craze surname mean?

A surname derived from a word meaning frenzy or mania.

What does the Craze map show?

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