NameCensus.

UK surname

Creagh

A surname derived from the Irish place name Creaghadh, meaning "a rocky hill or place."

In the 1881 census there were 125 people recorded with the Creagh surname, ranking it #17,335 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 201, ranked #19,525, down from #17,335 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Dunstan Stepney and Wimbledon. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ardler and St Marys, Cornwall and Guildford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Creagh is 229 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 60.8%.

1881 census count

125

Ranked #17,335

Modern count

201

2016, ranked #19,525

Peak year

1998

229 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Creagh had 125 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,335 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 201 in 2016, ranked #19,525.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 190 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Creagh surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Creagh surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Creagh 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 79 #19,712
1861 historical 53 #27,253
1881 historical 125 #17,335
1891 historical 190 #15,486
1901 historical 178 #16,284
1911 historical 158 #17,277
1997 modern 203 #17,457
1998 modern 229 #16,657
1999 modern 213 #17,550
2000 modern 215 #17,388
2001 modern 204 #17,736
2002 modern 204 #18,062
2003 modern 188 #18,810
2004 modern 193 #18,622
2005 modern 190 #18,753
2006 modern 201 #18,226
2007 modern 197 #18,669
2008 modern 202 #18,528
2009 modern 207 #18,600
2010 modern 221 #18,205
2011 modern 229 #17,633
2012 modern 199 #19,280
2013 modern 199 #19,584
2014 modern 208 #19,194
2015 modern 205 #19,269
2016 modern 201 #19,525

Geography

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Where Creaghs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Dunstan Stepney, Wimbledon, Portsmouth, Portsea and St Paul Deptford, St Nicholas Deptford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ardler and St Marys, Cornwall, Guildford, Winchester and Basingstoke and Deane. 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 London parishes London 3
2 St Dunstan Stepney London (East Districts)
3 Wimbledon Surrey
4 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
5 St Paul Deptford, St Nicholas Deptford London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ardler and St Marys Dundee City
2 Cornwall 042 Cornwall
3 Guildford 012 Guildford
4 Winchester 010 Winchester
5 Basingstoke and Deane 002 Basingstoke and Deane

Forenames

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First names often paired with Creagh

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Creagh

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Creagh surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Creagh 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Creagh 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

Creagh 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

Creagh falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Creagh

The surname Creagh is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic word "crioch," which means "boundary" or "border." It is believed that the name originated in the 12th or 13th century, during the Norman invasion of Ireland.

The earliest recorded example of the name Creagh can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. The annals mention several members of the Creagh family, who were prominent landowners in County Cork.

One of the most notable figures with the surname Creagh was Sir Michael Creagh (c. 1590-1626), an Irish soldier and landowner who served as a member of the Irish Parliament. Another prominent individual was Sir John Creagh (c. 1630-1695), a lawyer and judge who served as Lord Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer.

In the 18th century, the Creagh family played a significant role in the Irish Rebellion of 1798. John Creagh (1768-1798) was a leader of the United Irishmen, a revolutionary republican movement that fought against British rule. He was captured and executed for his role in the rebellion.

The surname Creagh is also associated with several place names in Ireland, such as Creagh Castle in County Cork and Creagh Village in County Mayo. The name may have originated from these locations or from the family's ownership of land near these areas.

Other notable individuals with the surname Creagh include Michael Creagh (1892-1970), an Irish politician and member of the Irish Revolutionary Army, and John Creagh (1894-1965), an Irish writer and journalist who wrote extensively about the Irish War of Independence and the Irish Civil War.

Despite its Irish origins, the surname Creagh has spread to various parts of the world due to migration and intermarriage. However, it remains most prevalent in Ireland, particularly in the counties of Cork, Mayo, and Tipperary.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Creagh families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Creagh 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. Surrey leads with 27 Creaghs recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.44x.

County Total Index
Surrey 27 4.44x
Kent 19 4.46x
Hampshire 17 6.64x
Middlesex 12 0.96x
Essex 8 3.25x
Aberdeenshire 6 5.19x
Angus 6 5.19x
Devon 6 2.31x
Lancashire 5 0.34x
Sussex 4 1.90x
Worcestershire 4 2.45x
Royal Navy 3 20.16x
Staffordshire 3 0.71x
Yorkshire 3 0.24x
Wiltshire 2 1.81x
Gloucestershire 1 0.41x
Somerset 1 0.50x
Suffolk 1 0.66x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Streatham in Surrey leads with 16 Creaghs recorded in 1881 and an index of 172.79x.

Place Total Index
Streatham 16 172.79x
Deptford St Nicholas 10 295.86x
Wimbledon 9 131.77x
West Ham 8 14.70x
Deptford St Paul 7 21.30x
Portsea 7 13.96x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 6 27.73x
Alverstoke 6 64.79x
Liff Benvie 6 34.17x
Bromley London 4 14.56x
Hastings St Mary 4 76.34x
Stourbridge 4 95.24x
Paddington London 3 6.53x
Royal Navy 3 23.58x
Sculcoates 3 15.29x
Whittington 3 348.84x
Hound 2 114.94x
Portsmouth 2 33.96x
Richmond 2 23.45x
St Clement Danes London 2 77.52x
Stourton 2 833.33x
Tavistock 2 67.57x
West Derby 2 4.61x
Wolborough 2 60.79x
Burnley 1 8.01x
Chelsea London 1 2.66x
Clifton 1 8.08x
Devonport 1 33.44x
Egg Buckland 1 227.27x
Framlingham 1 92.59x
Gillingham 1 11.39x
Kensington London 1 1.44x
Pitminster 1 169.49x
Spotland 1 6.07x
St Marylebone London 1 1.50x
Walmer 1 54.05x
Walton On Hill 1 12.45x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 6
Thomas 5
Arthur 4
Charles 4
George 4
John 4
Edward 3
James 3
Michael 3
Henry 2
Josiah 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Andrew 1
Frederic 1
Geo. 1
Giles 1
H.L. 1
Isaiah 1
Ivan 1
Jas. 1
Launcelot 1
Launcelott 1
Launcelotts 1
Leonard 1
Peter 1
Pierce 1
Ralph 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
S.Pierre 1
Sidney 1
Stephen 1

FAQ

Creagh surname: questions and answers

How common was the Creagh surname in 1881?

In 1881, 125 people were recorded with the Creagh surname. That placed it at #17,335 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Creagh surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 201 in 2016. That gives Creagh a modern rank of #19,525.

What does the Creagh surname mean?

A surname derived from the Irish place name Creaghadh, meaning "a rocky hill or place."

What does the Creagh map show?

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