NameCensus.

UK surname

Creasy

Derived from a place name meaning "cress island" in Old English, referring to a location where watercress grew.

In the 1881 census there were 607 people recorded with the Creasy surname, ranking it #5,775 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 435, ranked #11,084, down from #5,775 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Lowestoft, Kirkley and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mid Suffolk, Bath and North East Somerset and Crawley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Creasy is 730 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 28.3%.

1881 census count

607

Ranked #5,775

Modern count

435

2016, ranked #11,084

Peak year

1901

730 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Creasy had 607 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,775 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 435 in 2016, ranked #11,084.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 730 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Creasy surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Creasy surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Creasy 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 445 #5,532
1861 historical 370 #6,899
1881 historical 607 #5,775
1891 historical 565 #6,725
1901 historical 730 #6,065
1911 historical 602 #6,820
1997 modern 516 #9,095
1998 modern 528 #9,211
1999 modern 520 #9,379
2000 modern 519 #9,352
2001 modern 512 #9,288
2002 modern 506 #9,545
2003 modern 462 #10,045
2004 modern 459 #10,137
2005 modern 441 #10,368
2006 modern 426 #10,712
2007 modern 436 #10,597
2008 modern 437 #10,694
2009 modern 444 #10,797
2010 modern 462 #10,682
2011 modern 449 #10,807
2012 modern 450 #10,654
2013 modern 456 #10,722
2014 modern 452 #10,857
2015 modern 447 #10,873
2016 modern 435 #11,084

Geography

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Where Creasys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Lowestoft, Kirkley, St Pancras and Ashburnham, Dallington, Brightling, Ninfield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Mid Suffolk, Bath and North East Somerset, Crawley, West Devon and Norwich. 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 1
2 Lowestoft, Kirkley Suffolk
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Ashburnham, Dallington, Brightling, Ninfield Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Mid Suffolk 003 Mid Suffolk
2 Bath and North East Somerset 004 Bath and North East Somerset
3 Crawley 009 Crawley
4 West Devon 007 West Devon
5 Norwich 006 Norwich

Forenames

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First names often paired with Creasy

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Creasy

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Creasy surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Creasy household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Creasy is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Creasy 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

Creasy falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Creasy

The surname Creasy is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "cress," which means a type of edible plant that grows in or near water. This name likely originated as a descriptive nickname for someone who lived near a stream or ate a lot of cress, or it could have been an occupational name for a cress seller or grower.

The earliest recorded instance of the name dates back to the 13th century, with a Robert Cressy mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273. Other early spellings include Cressie, Crecy, and Crescy. The Domesday Book, compiled in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname, but it does mention several place names that may have contributed to its formation, such as Cresswell and Cressingham.

In the 14th century, a notable bearer of the name was Sir Hugh Creasy, a knight who fought alongside Edward III in the Battle of Crécy during the Hundred Years' War in 1346. This battle, which took place near the town of Crécy in northern France, proved to be a decisive English victory and may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname.

During the 16th century, a prominent figure was William Creasy (c. 1520-1590), an English churchman who served as the Bishop of Waterford and Lismore in Ireland. He was known for his efforts in promoting Protestantism and education in the region.

Another notable individual was Edward Shepherd Creasy (1812-1878), an English historian and barrister. He is best known for his book "The Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World" (1851), which examined the impact of several major battles throughout history.

In the 20th century, one of the most famous bearers of the name was Sir Edward Creasy (1885-1957), a British military officer and diplomat. He served as the Governor of British Guiana (now Guyana) from 1933 to 1949 and played a significant role in the colony's development during his tenure.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Creasy families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Creasy 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 117 Creasys recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.05x.

County Total Index
Surrey 117 4.05x
Suffolk 113 15.64x
Middlesex 92 1.55x
Kent 64 3.16x
Sussex 43 4.30x
Devon 36 2.92x
Lincolnshire 34 3.59x
Essex 28 2.39x
Norfolk 21 2.30x
Yorkshire 16 0.27x
Lancashire 9 0.13x
Derbyshire 6 0.65x
Bedfordshire 5 1.63x
Dorset 5 1.28x
Leicestershire 4 0.61x
Hampshire 3 0.25x
Hertfordshire 3 0.73x
Berkshire 2 0.45x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.53x
Staffordshire 2 0.10x
Cheshire 1 0.08x
Cornwall 1 0.15x
Royal Navy 1 1.41x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bermondsey in Surrey leads with 29 Creasys recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.42x.

Place Total Index
Bermondsey 29 16.42x
Kensington London 19 5.76x
Worth 17 234.16x
Framlingham 16 311.89x
Bromley London 14 10.73x
Streatham 13 29.55x
Croydon 12 7.48x
Lambeth 12 2.32x
Deptford St Paul 11 7.05x
Billinghay 10 342.47x
Plymouth Charles The 10 18.39x
St Pancras London 10 2.09x
Bicker 9 612.24x
Bredfield 9 1022.73x
Chelmsford 9 44.80x
Framsden 9 562.50x
Littleham 9 99.67x
Speldhurst 9 87.38x
Wales 9 193.97x
Camberwell 8 2.11x
Islington London 8 1.39x
St Peters 8 85.47x
West Teignmouth 8 84.75x
Halesworth 7 136.72x
Kirkley 7 115.89x
Leatherhead 7 96.69x
Monk Soham 7 864.20x
Newington 7 3.20x
Topsham 7 120.07x
Ealing 6 11.32x
Eckington 6 26.60x
Eye 6 128.48x
Hadlow 6 119.52x
Helmingham 6 869.57x
Battersea 5 2.29x
Frieston 5 222.22x
Fulham London 5 5.81x
Greenwich 5 5.30x
Ipswich St Helen 5 58.41x
Ipswich St Margaret 5 20.40x
Luton 5 9.41x
Mile End Old Town London 5 3.96x
Oxted 5 143.68x
Paddington London 5 2.29x
Ramsgate 5 15.14x
Terrington St Clement 5 121.36x
Tonbridge 5 6.85x
Wadhurst 5 76.10x
West Ham 5 1.93x
Worlingworth 5 381.68x
Dalton In Furness 4 14.72x
Fontmell Magna 4 270.27x
Lakenham 4 30.86x
Lavenham 4 105.82x
Leicester St Margaret 4 2.49x
Lowestoft 4 11.72x
Merton 4 79.05x
Ockley 4 312.50x
Otley 4 310.08x
St Marylebone London 4 1.26x
Bethnal Green London 3 1.16x
Bradwell 3 149.25x
Brasted 3 114.50x
Brighton 3 1.49x
Brightside Bierlow 3 2.60x
Cowden 3 227.27x
Gillingham 3 7.19x
Hampstead London 3 3.25x
Hitchin 3 16.26x
Margate St John Baptist 3 8.10x
North Kelsey 3 175.44x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 2.51x
Subdeanery 3 39.53x
Walpole St Peter 3 129.87x
Barking 2 5.84x
Hastings All Sts 2 21.23x
Hastings St Mary In The 2 9.38x
Playden 2 333.33x
Toxteth Park 2 0.84x
Westerham 2 42.83x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 25
Mary 22
Sarah 16
Harriet 15
Emma 14
Alice 12
Jane 12
Annie 9
Eliza 9
Ellen 9
Ann 8
Louisa 8
Edith 7
Emily 7
Fanny 7
Amy 6
Florence 6
Amelia 5
Caroline 5
Hannah 5
Laura 5
Anna 4
Esther 4
Kate 4
Maria 4
Martha 4
Rose 4
Ada 3
Agnes 3
Eleanor 3
Elenor 3
Elizth. 3
Frances 3
Gertrude 3
Harriett 3
Susan 3
Clara 2
Ethel 2
Helen 2
Julia 2
Lizzie 2
Lydia 2
Matilda 2
May 2
Rosa 2
Blache 1
Elisabeth 1
Henyatta 1
Hephzibah 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 44
John 32
James 26
George 20
Edward 12
Thomas 11
Arthur 10
Charles 9
Frederick 9
Ernest 8
Henry 7
Robert 7
Richard 5
Albert 4
Alfred 4
Joseph 4
Walter 4
Frank 3
Herbert 3
Lionel 3
Benjamin 2
Fred 2
Jabez 2
Samuel 2
Willm. 2
Arther 1
Brian 1
Caleb 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Earnest 1
Francis 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Gilbert 1
Harriet 1
Harry 1
Hy. 1
Jas.Wm. 1
Jeranuha 1
Jeremiah 1
Jesse 1
Lancelot 1
Lawrence 1
Leonard 1
Loinel 1
Martin 1
Matthew 1

FAQ

Creasy surname: questions and answers

How common was the Creasy surname in 1881?

In 1881, 607 people were recorded with the Creasy surname. That placed it at #5,775 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Creasy surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 435 in 2016. That gives Creasy a modern rank of #11,084.

What does the Creasy surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "cress island" in Old English, referring to a location where watercress grew.

What does the Creasy map show?

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