NameCensus.

UK surname

Cregg

A surname derived from the Irish Gaelic meaning "brave" or "battle-valiant".

In the 1881 census there were 121 people recorded with the Cregg surname, ranking it #17,671 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 204, ranked #19,320, down from #17,671 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Newark-on-Trent, East Stoke (East Stoke), Park Leys, Rolleston (Fiskerton), Morton, St Werburgh and Stone. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Burnley, Newark and Sherwood and Hyndburn.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cregg is 211 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 68.6%.

1881 census count

121

Ranked #17,671

Modern count

204

2016, ranked #19,320

Peak year

2000

211 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cregg had 121 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,671 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 204 in 2016, ranked #19,320.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 168 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities.

Cregg surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cregg surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cregg 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 83 #19,181
1861 historical 102 #20,797
1881 historical 121 #17,671
1891 historical 141 #19,108
1901 historical 109 #21,712
1911 historical 168 #16,620
1997 modern 182 #18,693
1998 modern 210 #17,600
1999 modern 209 #17,771
2000 modern 211 #17,603
2001 modern 201 #17,885
2002 modern 211 #17,696
2003 modern 202 #18,032
2004 modern 202 #18,110
2005 modern 207 #17,731
2006 modern 204 #18,051
2007 modern 203 #18,303
2008 modern 202 #18,528
2009 modern 202 #18,896
2010 modern 204 #19,200
2011 modern 201 #19,213
2012 modern 192 #19,730
2013 modern 201 #19,454
2014 modern 209 #19,128
2015 modern 202 #19,433
2016 modern 204 #19,320

Geography

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Where Creggs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Newark-on-Trent, East Stoke (East Stoke), Park Leys, Rolleston (Fiskerton), Morton, St Werburgh, Stone, Whalley and Ashton-under-Lyne. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Burnley, Newark and Sherwood and Hyndburn. 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 Newark-on-Trent, East Stoke (East Stoke), Park Leys, Rolleston (Fiskerton), Morton Nottinghamshire
2 St Werburgh Derbyshire
3 Stone Staffordshire
4 Whalley Lancashire
5 Ashton-under-Lyne Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Burnley 010 Burnley
2 Burnley 014 Burnley
3 Newark and Sherwood 009 Newark and Sherwood
4 Burnley 008 Burnley
5 Hyndburn 008 Hyndburn

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cregg

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cregg

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

Baseline UK

Group

Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities

Nationally, the Cregg surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Cregg household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Single-person households are common in these neighbourhoods, and these residents are typically divorced rather than never married. A high proportion of residents were born outside the UK in the EU. There are many young adults, some with young children, but relatively few residents are of normal retirement age or over. Although levels of identification with ethnic minorities are in line with the Supergroup average, individuals identifying with Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is more common than average. High long-term disability rates are observed, and unpaid care is more common than in the rest of the Group. The predominant housing types are terraced houses and flats, which are typically part of the social rented sector. This Group is commonly found in coastal areas and (present-day or former) industrial towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Cregg is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Cregg is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Cregg falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Cregg 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Cregg

The surname Cregg is of Scottish origin, with roots dating back to the 12th century in the Scottish Highlands. It is believed to have derived from the Gaelic word "creag," meaning "rock" or "crag," likely referring to a person who lived near a prominent rock formation or craggy area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which were a series of homage rolls recording the names of Scottish landowners who swore fealty to King Edward I of England during his invasion of Scotland. The name appears as "Creg" in these rolls, suggesting its early spelling variations.

The Cregg surname has been associated with various historical figures throughout the centuries. In the 16th century, there was John Cregg, a Scottish clergyman and scholar who lived from 1520 to 1588. He was known for his work as a professor of theology at the University of St Andrews.

Another notable bearer of the name was Robert Cregg, a Scottish soldier who fought in the Battle of Culloden in 1746, which was a pivotal conflict in the Jacobite rising against the British government. Cregg was among the Jacobite forces and is believed to have been captured or killed during the battle.

In the 19th century, James Cregg (1818-1892) was a prominent Scottish businessman and philanthropist who made his fortune in the textile industry. He was known for his charitable contributions to various educational and social causes in his hometown of Paisley.

The Cregg surname also has connections to place names in Scotland. For example, there is a village called Craigcrook, which is derived from the Gaelic "creag crùbach," meaning "bent crag," potentially indicating a link between the surname and this location.

Another notable figure with the Cregg surname was Alexander Cregg (1870-1946), a Scottish-born Canadian politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 1909 to 1924. He was instrumental in promoting the development of the forestry industry in the province.

Throughout its history, the Cregg surname has maintained a presence in Scotland and has also been carried by individuals who migrated to various parts of the world, including North America and beyond, leaving a lasting legacy across different cultures and societies.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cregg families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cregg 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. Lancashire leads with 62 Creggs recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.39x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 62 4.39x
Staffordshire 17 4.23x
Durham 12 3.39x
Nottinghamshire 10 6.24x
Derbyshire 8 4.29x
Cheshire 5 1.90x
Yorkshire 3 0.25x
Hampshire 1 0.41x
Isle of Man 1 4.52x
Middlesex 1 0.08x
Sussex 1 0.50x
Worcestershire 1 0.64x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ashton Under Lyne in Lancashire leads with 18 Creggs recorded in 1881 and an index of 58.33x.

Place Total Index
Ashton Under Lyne 18 58.33x
Accrington 13 101.25x
Escomb 11 674.85x
Newark Upon Trent 9 156.25x
Stone 9 175.10x
Toxteth Park 7 14.64x
Trentham 7 204.68x
Barton Upon Irwell 6 56.44x
Burnley 6 50.46x
Derby St Werburgh 6 55.76x
Liverpool 4 4.66x
West Derby 4 9.68x
Derby St Peter 2 33.73x
Liversedge 2 38.10x
Tarvin Pryors Hayes 2 571.43x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 8.92x
Brighton 1 2.47x
Chester St John Baptist 1 21.19x
Ecclesall Bierlow 1 4.17x
Forton 1 416.67x
German 1 82.64x
Heaton Norris 1 12.44x
Kings Norton 1 7.18x
Middlewich 1 185.19x
Portsea 1 2.09x
Rowley Regis 1 8.94x
St Andrew Holborn London 1 19.42x
Stockport 1 7.40x
Usworth 1 53.19x
Wigan 1 5.07x
Worksop 1 21.01x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 16
Ann 6
Elizabeth 6
Annie 5
Sarah 5
Catherine 3
Alice 2
Ellen 2
Jane 2
Margaret 2
Martha 2
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Bedelia 1
Betsey 1
Betsy 1
Bridget 1
Cathrine 1
Easter 1
Elema 1
Emma 1
Hannah 1
Maggie 1
Margrette 1
Maria 1
Nancy 1
Rebecca 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 8
William 7
Thomas 6
Edward 5
Robert 4
James 3
Patrick 3
Samuel 3
Bron 2
Larance 2
Matthew 2
Archld 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
George 1
Joseph 1
Luxe 1
Martin 1
Richard 1
Sarah 1

FAQ

Cregg surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cregg surname in 1881?

In 1881, 121 people were recorded with the Cregg surname. That placed it at #17,671 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cregg surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 204 in 2016. That gives Cregg a modern rank of #19,320.

What does the Cregg surname mean?

A surname derived from the Irish Gaelic meaning "brave" or "battle-valiant".

What does the Cregg map show?

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