NameCensus.

UK surname

Crerar

A habitational surname derived from the lands of Crerar in Angus, Scotland.

In the 1881 census there were 586 people recorded with the Crerar surname, ranking it #5,952 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 385, ranked #12,232, down from #5,952 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dull, Blackford and Comrie. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Linlathen and Midcraigie, Comrie, Gilmerton and St Fillans and Blair Atholl, Strathardle and Glenshee.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Crerar is 636 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 34.3%.

1881 census count

586

Ranked #5,952

Modern count

385

2016, ranked #12,232

Peak year

1901

636 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Crerar had 586 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,952 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 385 in 2016, ranked #12,232.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 636 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Student Living and Professional Footholds.

Crerar surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Crerar surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Crerar 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 444 #5,543
1861 historical 520 #5,038
1881 historical 586 #5,952
1891 historical 595 #6,431
1901 historical 636 #6,754
1911 historical 154 #17,553
1997 modern 397 #11,068
1998 modern 436 #10,663
1999 modern 435 #10,754
2000 modern 411 #11,185
2001 modern 392 #11,384
2002 modern 405 #11,335
2003 modern 383 #11,614
2004 modern 390 #11,495
2005 modern 388 #11,437
2006 modern 379 #11,688
2007 modern 379 #11,854
2008 modern 382 #11,901
2009 modern 395 #11,838
2010 modern 402 #11,949
2011 modern 394 #11,997
2012 modern 371 #12,396
2013 modern 370 #12,626
2014 modern 385 #12,340
2015 modern 382 #12,322
2016 modern 385 #12,232

Geography

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Where Crerars are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dull, Blackford, Comrie, Little Dunkeld and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Linlathen and Midcraigie, Comrie, Gilmerton and St Fillans, Blair Atholl, Strathardle and Glenshee, Dunecht, Durris and Drumoak and South Norfolk. 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 Dull Perth
2 Blackford Perth
3 Comrie Perth
4 Little Dunkeld Perth
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Linlathen and Midcraigie Dundee City
2 Comrie, Gilmerton and St Fillans Perth and Kinross
3 Blair Atholl, Strathardle and Glenshee Perth and Kinross
4 Dunecht, Durris and Drumoak Aberdeenshire
5 South Norfolk 015 South Norfolk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Crerar

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Crerar

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Student Living and Professional Footholds

Nationally, the Crerar surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Student Living and Professional Footholds, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Crerar household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

The Group includes many students, some of whom reside in communal residences. Single-person households are the most prevalent and the modal age band is 25 to 44. There are few families with dependent children. A significant number of White residents were born in EU countries (although UK-born residents are more common than in the rest of the Group), and households reflect a diversity of ethnic groups. Residential turnover is exceptionally high and, communal properties aside, flats are the norm. Some properties, including those in the private rental sector, are over-crowded. Many residents are professionals and technicians educated to degree level, and the Group is particularly common near the campuses of established university towns and cities.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Crerar is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Crerar is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Crerar falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Crerar

The surname Crerar finds its origins in Scotland, with records tracing it back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Gaelic words "criadh" meaning clay and "tir" meaning land, referring to the clay soil found in the areas where the name originated. The name may have been an occupational surname for those who worked with clay or lived on clay-rich lands.

One of the earliest documented instances of the name Crerar appears in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1264, referring to a "Gilbertus de Crerar." This suggests the name was well-established in Scotland by that time. The spelling of the name has evolved over the centuries, with variations such as Creyar, Crerar, and Crerar appearing in historical records.

In the 16th century, the Crerar family held lands in the parish of Monzie, Perthshire, Scotland. The name is associated with the village of Crerar, which likely took its name from the family who resided there. This village is mentioned in several historical documents, including the Retours of Service of Heirs from the late 16th century.

One notable member of the Crerar family was John Crerar (1620-1685), a Scottish merchant and landowner who became a prominent figure in Edinburgh. He served as a magistrate and was involved in the city's governance during a turbulent period of Scottish history.

Another significant figure was John Crerar (1659-1719), a Scottish clergyman and author who served as the minister of the Tron Kirk in Edinburgh. He was known for his writings on theology and his involvement in the controversies surrounding the Church of Scotland during the late 17th and early 18th centuries.

In the 19th century, John Crerar (1827-1894) was a prominent American businessman and philanthropist who founded the John Crerar Library in Chicago. This library, established in 1894, became a leading research institution and a testament to Crerar's commitment to education and knowledge.

The name Crerar has also been associated with places beyond Scotland. In the United States, there is a town called Crerar in Illinois, likely named after the aforementioned John Crerar, the library's founder.

Throughout history, the surname Crerar has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including merchants, clergymen, landowners, and philanthropists. While the name may have originated from humble beginnings, referring to those who worked with clay or lived on clay-rich lands, it has since gained prominence and recognition in various parts of the world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Crerar families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Crerar 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. Perthshire leads with 294 Crerars recorded in 1881 and an index of 114.99x.

County Total Index
Perthshire 294 114.99x
Midlothian 58 7.60x
Lanarkshire 53 2.88x
Angus 40 7.58x
Dunbartonshire 16 10.45x
Ayrshire 15 3.52x
Stirlingshire 15 7.14x
Argyllshire 14 8.83x
Lancashire 11 0.16x
Cumberland 10 2.04x
Fife 10 2.97x
Inverness-shire 10 5.88x
Northumberland 10 1.18x
Renfrewshire 7 1.59x
Middlesex 5 0.09x
Selkirkshire 4 7.76x
Kent 3 0.15x
Surrey 3 0.11x
Buteshire 1 2.90x
Clackmannanshire 1 2.13x
Peeblesshire 1 3.73x
Sussex 1 0.10x
Sutherland 1 2.28x
West Lothian 1 1.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Crieff in Perthshire leads with 44 Crerars recorded in 1881 and an index of 462.67x.

Place Total Index
Crieff 44 462.67x
Kenmore 40 1311.48x
Govan 33 7.24x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 27 8.79x
Dull 22 429.69x
Weem 21 2258.06x
Comrie 19 519.13x
Blackford 18 575.08x
Dundee 16 8.12x
Loudoun 15 146.34x
Bonhill 12 48.84x
Fortingall 12 368.10x
Fowlis Wester 11 504.59x
Little Dunkeld 11 253.46x
Caputh 10 248.76x
Crosscanonby 10 61.65x
Kingussie Insh 10 256.41x
Barony 9 1.93x
Eglingham Crawley Hedgeley 9 2000.00x
St Vigeans 9 31.59x
Barry 8 126.38x
Kirkcaldy 8 47.82x
Penicuik 8 77.15x
Perth Middle Church 8 83.16x
St Ninians 8 38.41x
Ardchattan Muckairn 7 178.57x
Buchanan 7 654.21x
Cathcart 7 29.30x
Edinburgh St Marys 7 47.17x
Kilmadock 7 119.05x
Monzie 7 476.19x
Newbattle 7 107.36x
Perth West Church 7 57.71x
Blairgowrie 6 59.35x
Cadder 6 44.09x
Killin 6 240.00x
Logierait Fortingall 6 6666.67x
Preston 6 3.32x
Kirkdale 5 4.40x
Liff Benvie 5 6.24x
Moulin 5 123.76x
Perth St Pauls 5 84.46x
Callander 4 94.79x
Galashiels 4 21.00x
Glasgow 4 1.22x
Glenorchy Inishail 4 218.58x
Kirkintilloch 4 19.23x
Muthill 4 119.76x
Redgorton 4 140.85x
Balquhidder 3 243.90x
Inveresk 3 14.52x
St Marylebone London 3 0.99x
Trinity Gask 3 389.61x
Chipstead 2 158.73x
Dunkeld Dowally 2 238.10x
Dunning 2 62.50x
Edinburgh St Stephens 2 13.32x
Edinburgh Trinity 2 81.30x
Hythe St Leonard 2 29.11x
Islington London 2 0.36x
Logierait 2 44.44x
Perth East Church 2 8.30x
Abbotshall 1 7.94x
Assynt 1 37.31x
Battersea 1 0.48x
Coupar Angus 1 20.04x
Dunblane 1 16.34x
Glassary 1 11.71x
Kilchrenan 1 185.19x
Kinnoull 1 14.88x
Kirknewton 1 45.66x
Lanark 1 6.75x
Lismore Appin 1 18.94x
North Leith 1 2.83x
Rothesay 1 5.98x
Scoonie 1 13.70x
St Martins 1 68.97x
Strathmartine 1 42.74x
Swanscombe 1 11.45x
Uphall 1 10.60x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 2
Marion 2
Rebecca 2
... 1
Bessie 1
Cathrine 1
Christina 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Helen 1
Jane 1
Jessie 1
Kate 1
Margaret 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 7
John 6
Alexander 3
Robert 2
William 2
Alfred 1
Andrew 1
Charles 1
Francis 1
Peter 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 Crerar households.

FAQ

Crerar surname: questions and answers

How common was the Crerar surname in 1881?

In 1881, 586 people were recorded with the Crerar surname. That placed it at #5,952 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Crerar surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 385 in 2016. That gives Crerar a modern rank of #12,232.

What does the Crerar surname mean?

A habitational surname derived from the lands of Crerar in Angus, Scotland.

What does the Crerar map show?

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