NameCensus.

UK surname

Creaney

Anglicized form of the Irish surname "Ó Crionáin" meaning "descendant of Crionán", Crionán being an old diminutive of Croine meaning "brown".

In the 1881 census there were 34 people recorded with the Creaney surname, ranking it #28,837 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 277, ranked #15,619, up from #28,837 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Glenrothes Pitteuchar, Blackburn with Darwen and Pollok North and East.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Creaney is 304 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 714.7%.

1881 census count

34

Ranked #28,837

Modern count

277

2016, ranked #15,619

Peak year

2010

304 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Creaney had 34 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #28,837 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 277 in 2016, ranked #15,619.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 61 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Creaney surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Creaney surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Creaney 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
1861 historical 4 #33,628
1881 historical 34 #28,837
1891 historical 51 #30,158
1901 historical 61 #27,379
1911 historical 17 #31,675
1997 modern 269 #14,543
1998 modern 283 #14,442
1999 modern 281 #14,578
2000 modern 282 #14,532
2001 modern 270 #14,734
2002 modern 274 #14,849
2003 modern 279 #14,506
2004 modern 277 #14,644
2005 modern 270 #14,822
2006 modern 272 #14,834
2007 modern 273 #14,959
2008 modern 279 #14,860
2009 modern 296 #14,557
2010 modern 304 #14,591
2011 modern 283 #15,193
2012 modern 274 #15,498
2013 modern 277 #15,644
2014 modern 283 #15,495
2015 modern 277 #15,622
2016 modern 277 #15,619

Geography

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Where Creaneys 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 Glenrothes Pitteuchar, Blackburn with Darwen, Pollok North and East, Cairnhill and Flintshire. 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 Glenrothes Pitteuchar Fife
2 Blackburn with Darwen 009 Blackburn with Darwen
3 Pollok North and East Glasgow City
4 Cairnhill North Lanarkshire
5 Flintshire 007 Flintshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Creaney

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Creaney

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Creaney is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Creaney is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Creaney 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 Creaney 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Creaney

The surname Creaney is of Irish origin, believed to have originated in the county of Sligo, Ireland, during the late medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Gaelic words "criadh" meaning clay and "niadh" meaning champion or warrior, suggesting the name may have referred to a skilled fighter or warrior from a clay-rich area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the early 17th century. The annals mention a Brian Creaney, who was a member of the Gaelic noble family of O'Conor in the 14th century.

In the 16th century, the surname Creaney appeared in the Fiants of the Tudor Conquests, which were records of land grants and appointments made by the English monarchy in Ireland. This suggests that the Creaney family had established themselves as landowners during this period.

The earliest known ancestor of the Creaney family is believed to be Tadhg Creaney, who was born in County Sligo in the late 15th century. His descendants went on to become prominent figures in the region, with several members serving as officers in the Irish Confederate Wars of the 1640s.

One notable figure in the Creaney family history is Cathal Creaney (1620-1695), who was a renowned poet and scholar of the Irish language. He is credited with preserving many ancient Irish manuscripts and literary works during a time when the language and culture were suppressed by English rule.

Another prominent individual with the surname Creaney was Maeve Creaney (1848-1920), who was a prominent Irish nationalist and campaigner for women's rights. She was actively involved in the Irish literary revival movement and helped establish several cultural organizations dedicated to the preservation of Irish language and traditions.

During the 19th century, many individuals with the surname Creaney emigrated from Ireland to various parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and Australia, in search of better opportunities. This has contributed to the global spread of the name, although its roots can be traced back to the county of Sligo in Ireland.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Creaney families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Creaney 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. West Lothian leads with 10 Creaneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 219.78x.

County Total Index
West Lothian 10 219.78x
Lanarkshire 8 8.18x
Essex 5 8.38x
Kent 5 4.85x
Lancashire 3 0.84x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Uphall in West Lothian leads with 10 Creaneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2000.00x.

Place Total Index
Uphall 10 2000.00x
West Ham 5 37.94x
Woolwich 5 131.23x
Govan 4 16.54x
Gorbals 3 517.24x
Little Bolton 2 43.38x
Glasgow 1 5.76x
Hulme 1 13.35x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 3
Ellen 2
Elizabeth 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 2
William 2
Geo. 1
Harold 1
John 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 Creaney households.

FAQ

Creaney surname: questions and answers

How common was the Creaney surname in 1881?

In 1881, 34 people were recorded with the Creaney surname. That placed it at #28,837 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Creaney surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 277 in 2016. That gives Creaney a modern rank of #15,619.

What does the Creaney surname mean?

Anglicized form of the Irish surname "Ó Crionáin" meaning "descendant of Crionán", Crionán being an old diminutive of Croine meaning "brown".

What does the Creaney map show?

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