NameCensus.

UK surname

Cremer

A surname derived from the Middle English word "cremere" meaning a trader or merchant.

In the 1881 census there were 168 people recorded with the Cremer surname, ranking it #14,380 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 190, ranked #20,262, down from #14,380 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Newington, St Mary Whitechapel and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Herefordshire, Wyre and North Somerset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cremer is 207 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 13.1%.

1881 census count

168

Ranked #14,380

Modern count

190

2016, ranked #20,262

Peak year

1998

207 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cremer had 168 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,380 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 190 in 2016, ranked #20,262.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 189 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Cremer surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cremer surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cremer 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 103 #16,835
1861 historical 96 #21,648
1881 historical 168 #14,380
1891 historical 177 #16,330
1901 historical 189 #15,684
1911 historical 178 #16,073
1997 modern 197 #17,792
1998 modern 207 #17,749
1999 modern 204 #18,021
2000 modern 202 #18,094
2001 modern 200 #17,948
2002 modern 197 #18,474
2003 modern 189 #18,738
2004 modern 190 #18,792
2005 modern 179 #19,467
2006 modern 175 #19,850
2007 modern 170 #20,471
2008 modern 175 #20,311
2009 modern 179 #20,418
2010 modern 186 #20,379
2011 modern 192 #19,797
2012 modern 193 #19,665
2013 modern 187 #20,436
2014 modern 194 #20,097
2015 modern 192 #20,138
2016 modern 190 #20,262

Geography

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Where Cremers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Newington, St Mary Whitechapel, London parishes, Kingston-on-Thames and St Marylebone. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Herefordshire, Wyre, North Somerset, King's Lynn and West Norfolk and Suffolk Coastal. 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 Newington Kent
2 St Mary Whitechapel London (East Districts)
3 London parishes London 1
4 Kingston-on-Thames Surrey
5 St Marylebone London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Herefordshire 001 Herefordshire, County of
2 Wyre 001 Wyre
3 North Somerset 023 North Somerset
4 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 002 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
5 Suffolk Coastal 012 Suffolk Coastal

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cremer

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cremer

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Cremer 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

Cremer 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

Cremer 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 Cremer 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 Cremer, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Cremer

The surname CREMER is of Germanic origin and is derived from the occupational name for a trader or merchant. It is likely that the name originated in the Low German regions of northern Germany and the Netherlands during the medieval period.

The name is thought to be derived from the Middle Low German word "kremer" or "kramer," which means a trader or merchant, particularly one who traded in small wares such as textiles, spices, and other goods. This occupation was common in the bustling trade cities and towns of the Hanseatic League in the 13th and 14th centuries.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name CREMER can be found in the records of the city of Hamburg, where a merchant named Hinrich CREMER is mentioned in a document dated 1328. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by the 14th century.

In the Netherlands, the name CREMER can be traced back to the 15th century, with records showing a Claes CREMER living in the city of Leiden in 1467. The name was also found in various spellings, such as CRAMER, KRAMER, and KREMER, which were likely regional variations.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname CREMER. One of the earliest was Jan CREMER (c. 1510-1594), a Dutch painter and engraver who was active in the 16th century. Another was the German philosopher and logician Titus CREMER (1658-1714), who made significant contributions to the field of logic and rational thought.

In the 19th century, the name CREMER was associated with the German botanist and explorer Carl CREMER (1838-1911), who conducted extensive research and fieldwork in the Amazon rainforest. A more recent figure was the Dutch novelist and playwright Robertus CREMER (1929-2015), whose works explored themes of love, loss, and the human condition.

Another notable bearer of the name was the American artist and educator John CREMER (1906-1994), who was known for his abstract expressionist paintings and his influential role in the development of modern art education.

Throughout its history, the surname CREMER has maintained its connection to the world of trade and commerce, reflecting the occupational origins of the name. While it may have evolved in spelling and pronunciation over time, the name continues to carry the legacy of the merchants and traders who first bore it centuries ago.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cremer families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cremer 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. Middlesex leads with 40 Cremers recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.43x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 40 2.43x
Norfolk 36 14.20x
Kent 34 6.04x
Surrey 17 2.12x
Essex 13 3.99x
Lincolnshire 7 2.66x
Midlothian 5 2.26x
Northumberland 4 1.63x
Cheshire 3 0.82x
Hampshire 3 0.89x
Bedfordshire 2 2.34x
Oxfordshire 1 0.98x
Royal Navy 1 5.09x
Somerset 1 0.38x
Suffolk 1 0.50x
Sussex 1 0.36x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Marylebone London in Middlesex leads with 14 Cremers recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.91x.

Place Total Index
St Marylebone London 14 15.91x
West Ham 13 18.09x
Newington In Milton 10 1694.92x
Lambeth 9 6.26x
Mile End Old Town London 8 22.80x
Milton In Milton 8 334.73x
Chislehurst 7 231.79x
Beeston Regis 6 5454.55x
Bermondsey 6 12.22x
Cowbit 6 1666.67x
Great Yarmouth 6 28.57x
Edinburgh High Church 5 359.71x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 4 27.30x
Norwich St Saviour 4 449.44x
Poplar London 4 12.86x
Sparham 4 2352.94x
Aston Near Mondrum 3 3000.00x
Bromley London 3 8.27x
Faversham 3 55.97x
Hampton London 3 110.70x
Preston Next Faversham 3 227.27x
South Lynn 3 104.90x
Chatham 2 12.93x
Heigham 2 14.71x
Hockliffe 2 1111.11x
North Walsham 2 109.29x
Shoreditch London 2 2.80x
Acton 1 303.03x
Barrington 1 416.67x
Bethnal Green London 1 1.40x
Bracon Ash 1 625.00x
Chartham 1 71.43x
Edmonton 1 7.53x
Fakenham 1 80.00x
Fareham 1 24.63x
Great Ryburgh 1 256.41x
Great Snoring 1 384.62x
Hackney London 1 1.08x
Halvergate 1 370.37x
Iping 1 333.33x
Kensington London 1 1.09x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 1 13.14x
Norwich All Sts 1 476.19x
Norwich St George Tombland 1 222.22x
Pensthorpe 1 10000.00x
Reigate Foreign 1 11.49x
Royal Navy 1 5.96x
Shirburn 1 555.56x
Southampton All Sts 1 17.24x
Southampton St Mary 1 4.71x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 3.01x
St George Hanover Square 1 3.44x
St Pancras London 1 0.75x
Whaplode 1 111.11x

Top female names

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

Name Count
George 11
William 10
John 8
Charles 6
Henry 4
Joseph 4
Harry 2
James 2
Michael 2
Robert 2
W. 2
A. 1
Benjamin 1
Benjamn. 1
Christopher 1
Daniel 1
Dennis 1
Edmund 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
G. 1
Herbert 1
Josiah 1
Patrick 1
Percival 1
Philip 1
Ralph 1
Richard 1
S. 1
Sydney 1
Thomas 1
W.A. 1
Wyndham 1

FAQ

Cremer surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cremer surname in 1881?

In 1881, 168 people were recorded with the Cremer surname. That placed it at #14,380 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cremer surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 190 in 2016. That gives Cremer a modern rank of #20,262.

What does the Cremer surname mean?

A surname derived from the Middle English word "cremere" meaning a trader or merchant.

What does the Cremer map show?

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