NameCensus.

UK surname

Creese

A habitational surname originating from a place named with the pre-7th century Olde English words for "cross" and "brushwood".

In the 1881 census there were 501 people recorded with the Creese surname, ranking it #6,766 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 669, ranked #7,997, down from #6,766 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Bedminster and Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet,. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Winchester, Tewkesbury and Torfaen.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Creese is 706 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 33.5%.

1881 census count

501

Ranked #6,766

Modern count

669

2016, ranked #7,997

Peak year

1998

706 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Creese had 501 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,766 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 669 in 2016, ranked #7,997.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 679 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Creese surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Creese surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Creese 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 253 #8,709
1861 historical 226 #10,797
1881 historical 501 #6,766
1891 historical 526 #7,125
1901 historical 624 #6,856
1911 historical 679 #6,225
1997 modern 698 #7,262
1998 modern 706 #7,425
1999 modern 704 #7,479
2000 modern 699 #7,499
2001 modern 675 #7,569
2002 modern 681 #7,677
2003 modern 685 #7,516
2004 modern 677 #7,607
2005 modern 679 #7,526
2006 modern 672 #7,607
2007 modern 657 #7,798
2008 modern 667 #7,761
2009 modern 691 #7,717
2010 modern 706 #7,735
2011 modern 674 #7,927
2012 modern 648 #8,096
2013 modern 664 #8,074
2014 modern 669 #8,069
2015 modern 678 #7,922
2016 modern 669 #7,997

Geography

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Where Creeses are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Bedminster, Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet,, Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick 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 Winchester, Tewkesbury, Torfaen, Blaenau Gwent and Gloucester. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Bedminster Somerset
3 Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet, Gloucestershire
4 Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick Worcestershire
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Winchester 011 Winchester
2 Tewkesbury 004 Tewkesbury
3 Torfaen 001 Torfaen
4 Blaenau Gwent 008 Blaenau Gwent
5 Gloucester 008 Gloucester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Creese

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Creese

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Creese, 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 Creese surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Creese 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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Creese is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Creese 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

Creese falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Creese is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Creese

The surname Creese has its origins in England, tracing back to the late 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "cresse," which means "cress," a type of plant. The name likely referred to someone who lived near a patch of cress or worked with the plant in some capacity.

One of the earliest known records of the name appears in the Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1273, where it is listed as "Cresse." Over time, the spelling evolved to its current form, Creese. The name was also found in various forms, such as Cress, Crasse, and Crasse, in medieval records across different regions of England.

In the 16th century, the surname Creese was particularly prevalent in the counties of Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, and Yorkshire. This suggests that the name may have originated in these areas before spreading to other parts of the country.

Notable individuals bearing the surname Creese include William Creese (1700-1765), a prominent merchant and landowner in Lincolnshire. John Creese (1799-1882) was a British architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in London, including the Church of St. Saviour in Southwark.

Another noteworthy figure was Elizabeth Creese (1832-1910), a pioneering educator who established one of the first schools for girls in Nottinghamshire. In the 19th century, Thomas Creese (1845-1912) was a respected author and journalist who wrote extensively on topics related to agriculture and rural life.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Creese can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Cress" in the county of Nottinghamshire. This indicates that the name had already established itself in parts of England by the late 11th century.

While the surname Creese is not among the most common in England, it has a rich history spanning several centuries and has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including merchants, architects, educators, and writers.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Creese families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Creese 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. Gloucestershire leads with 97 Creeses recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.06x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 97 10.06x
Worcestershire 91 14.17x
Somerset 80 10.11x
Sussex 42 5.07x
Hampshire 39 3.87x
Middlesex 25 0.51x
Monmouthshire 25 7.03x
Glamorgan 16 1.87x
Devon 14 1.37x
Kent 13 0.78x
Leicestershire 13 2.38x
Pembrokeshire 9 5.76x
Warwickshire 9 0.73x
Herefordshire 5 2.48x
Lincolnshire 5 0.64x
Yorkshire 4 0.08x
Channel Islands 3 2.06x
Lancashire 3 0.05x
Midlothian 3 0.46x
Essex 2 0.21x
Norfolk 2 0.26x
Surrey 2 0.08x
Derbyshire 1 0.13x
Northamptonshire 1 0.22x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bedminster in Somerset leads with 21 Creeses recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.24x.

Place Total Index
Bedminster 21 28.24x
Portsea 16 8.10x
Yeovil 14 87.06x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 13 14.32x
Leicester St Margaret 13 9.78x
Brixham 12 101.18x
Shepton Mallet 12 135.14x
Westbourne 12 290.56x
Worcester Blockhouse 11 311.61x
Worcester St John 11 143.42x
Chepstow 10 165.29x
Bushley 9 1956.52x
Holdfast Queenshill 9 2903.23x
Islington London 9 1.89x
Tenby St Mary In 9 113.21x
Tirley 9 1111.11x
Welland 9 612.24x
Wedmore 8 155.34x
Castlemorton 7 555.56x
Cheltenham 7 9.41x
Kilmington 7 864.20x
Longparish 7 614.04x
Milborne Port 7 220.82x
New Fishbourne 7 1320.75x
Radstock 7 134.62x
Usk 7 237.29x
Ventnor 7 73.07x
West Wittering 7 630.63x
Boxgrove 6 500.00x
Bristol St George 6 13.45x
Cardiff St Mary 6 12.73x
Cirencester 6 45.98x
Clifton 6 12.31x
Kings Norton 6 10.42x
Lewisham 6 6.71x
Trevethin 6 17.88x
Bishops Cleeve 5 204.08x
Bristol St James In 5 35.26x
Churchdown 5 260.42x
Donnington 5 877.19x
Edgbaston 5 13.01x
Great Grimsby 5 10.02x
Plumstead 5 8.94x
Stapleton 5 27.34x
Upton On Severn 5 118.76x
Worcester St Swithin 5 416.67x
Wotton St Mary 5 100.00x
Aldingbourn 4 320.00x
Bristol St Mary Redcliff 4 45.56x
Chelsea London 4 2.70x
Corse 4 454.55x
Roath 4 10.29x
Tewkesbury 4 46.51x
Westminster St John 4 6.68x
Worcester All Sts 4 107.53x
Ystradyfodwg 4 5.33x
Berkeley 3 55.87x
Freefolk Manor 3 1250.00x
Hackney London 3 1.09x
Ledbury 3 43.35x
Mitcheldean 3 250.00x
St Helier 3 6.33x
Stroud 3 15.99x
Worcester St Martin 3 34.64x
Aston 2 0.59x
Bromsgrove 2 9.26x
Edinburgh Lady Yesters 2 43.86x
Gloucester St Aldate 2 168.07x
Great Malvern 2 14.93x
Greenwich 2 2.56x
Heigham 2 4.93x
Llanbaddock 2 303.03x
Llanwonno 2 6.50x
Overbury 2 176.99x
Redmarley 2 119.05x
Ryde 2 9.24x
South Hayling 2 111.73x
Toxteth Park 2 1.01x
Worcester St Alban 2 476.19x
Brighton 1 0.60x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 31
Elizabeth 21
Jane 13
Sarah 12
Charlotte 10
Alice 9
Emily 9
Eliza 7
Ellen 7
Martha 7
Ann 6
Annie 6
Ada 5
Florence 5
Frances 4
Margaret 4
Maria 4
Amelia 3
Anne 3
Catherine 3
Edith 3
Fanny 3
Hannah 3
Matilda 3
Anna 2
Beatrice 2
Bessie 2
Caroline 2
Clara 2
Eva 2
Eveline 2
Henrietta 2
Isabella 2
Minnie 2
Olive 2
Rachel 2
Rose 2
Bethed 1
Blanch 1
Elizth. 1
Emma 1
Esther 1
Hester 1
Honor 1
Hubertina 1
Jessie 1
Katherine 1
Laura 1
Letitia 1
Susanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 44
John 25
George 23
Henry 16
James 11
Charles 10
Thomas 10
Albert 8
Joseph 7
Edward 6
Walter 6
Alfred 5
Daniel 5
Edwin 5
Samuel 5
Frank 4
Harry 4
Mark 4
Richard 4
Robert 4
Edmund 3
Ernest 3
Frederick 3
Josiah 3
Arthur 2
Henery 2
Christopher 1
Eli 1
Francis 1
Geoffrey 1
Gilbert 1
Gioarge 1
Herbert 1
Howard 1
Isaac 1
Jas. 1
Job 1
Joshua 1
Julius 1
Leontine 1
Lewis 1
Maurice 1
Oliver 1
Paul 1
Percy 1
Peter 1
Sandy 1
Silas 1
Stephen 1
Wm.C. 1

FAQ

Creese surname: questions and answers

How common was the Creese surname in 1881?

In 1881, 501 people were recorded with the Creese surname. That placed it at #6,766 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Creese surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 669 in 2016. That gives Creese a modern rank of #7,997.

What does the Creese surname mean?

A habitational surname originating from a place named with the pre-7th century Olde English words for "cross" and "brushwood".

What does the Creese map show?

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