UK surname
A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a watercress bed or stream.
In the 1881 census there were 62 people recorded with the Cress surname, ranking it #24,843 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 43, ranked #35,285, down from #24,843 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, St Mary Whitechapel and St Leonard Shoreditch. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cress is 126 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 30.6%.
1881 census count
62
Ranked #24,843
Modern count
43
2016, ranked #35,285
Peak year
1861
126 bearers
Map years
3
1861 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Cress surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Cress surname density by area, 1911 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 61 | #22,412 |
| 1861 | historical | 126 | #17,569 |
| 1881 | historical | 62 | #24,843 |
| 1891 | historical | 93 | #24,965 |
| 1901 | historical | 109 | #21,712 |
| 1911 | historical | 100 | #22,717 |
| 1997 | modern | 37 | #33,964 |
| 1998 | modern | 43 | #33,557 |
| 1999 | modern | 43 | #33,683 |
| 2000 | modern | 44 | #33,602 |
| 2001 | modern | 45 | #33,401 |
| 2002 | modern | 42 | #33,951 |
| 2003 | modern | 42 | #34,040 |
| 2004 | modern | 44 | #34,053 |
| 2005 | modern | 45 | #34,160 |
| 2006 | modern | 38 | #35,003 |
| 2007 | modern | 42 | #34,905 |
| 2008 | modern | 48 | #34,629 |
| 2009 | modern | 45 | #34,972 |
| 2010 | modern | 44 | #35,183 |
| 2011 | modern | 42 | #35,283 |
| 2012 | modern | 49 | #34,873 |
| 2013 | modern | 46 | #35,110 |
| 2014 | modern | 43 | #35,293 |
| 2015 | modern | 41 | #35,383 |
| 2016 | modern | 43 | #35,285 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, St Mary Whitechapel, St Leonard Shoreditch, London parishes and St Decuman, Nettlecombe, Old Cleeve, Kilton, Lilstock, Dodington, Stringston, Holford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside | Durham |
| 2 | St Mary Whitechapel | London (East Districts) |
| 3 | St Leonard Shoreditch | London (East Districts) |
| 4 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 5 | St Decuman, Nettlecombe, Old Cleeve, Kilton, Lilstock, Dodington, Stringston, Holford | Somerset |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Cress surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Cress, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Cress surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Cress household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Cress is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Cress is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Cress, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Cress has its origins in England and dates back to the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word 'cresse', meaning watercress, a pungent-flavored plant that grows in streams and marshes. The name likely originated as a descriptive nickname for someone who lived near a watercress patch or worked with the plant.
One of the earliest records of the name Cress can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1195, where a person named Gaufridus Cresse is mentioned. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also lists several individuals with the surname Cress, including William Cresse from Oxfordshire and Robert Cresse from Cambridgeshire.
In the 13th century, the name Cress appeared in various spellings, such as Cresse, Crasse, and Creys, reflecting the phonetic variations of the time. The Subsidy Rolls of 1327 record a John Crays from Worcestershire, while the Hearth Tax Returns of 1662 mention a Thomas Crass from Gloucestershire.
One notable figure in history with the surname Cress was Robert Cress, an English clergyman and academic who lived from 1557 to 1642. He served as the Rector of Ickworth in Suffolk and was a fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge.
Another individual of note was Sir John Cress, a Knight of the Shire for Suffolk who was elected to the House of Commons in 1554. He played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation in England during the reign of Queen Mary I.
In the 17th century, the name Cress was associated with the village of Cresswell in Northumberland, suggesting a possible connection between the surname and a place name. William Cress, born in 1621, was a notable resident of Cresswell and served as the village's constable.
Moving into the 18th century, we find Thomas Cress (1672-1744), a prominent English landowner and businessman from Gloucestershire. He was involved in the wool trade and owned several estates in the region.
Finally, in the 19th century, James Cress (1819-1892) was a renowned horticulturist and nurseryman from Hertfordshire. He introduced several new varieties of vegetables and wrote extensively on gardening techniques.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cress surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 18 Cress' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.71x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | 18 | 2.71x |
| Devon | 11 | 7.97x |
| Yorkshire | 8 | 1.22x |
| Gloucestershire | 7 | 5.38x |
| Surrey | 7 | 2.17x |
| Channel Islands | 6 | 30.53x |
| Somerset | 2 | 1.87x |
| Sussex | 2 | 1.79x |
| Berkshire | 1 | 2.01x |
| Dorset | 1 | 2.30x |
| Hampshire | 1 | 0.74x |
| Hertfordshire | 1 | 2.19x |
| Kent | 1 | 0.44x |
| Staffordshire | 1 | 0.45x |
| Suffolk | 1 | 1.24x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bristol St George in Gloucestershire leads with 7 Cress' recorded in 1881 and an index of 116.28x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Bristol St George | 7 | 116.28x |
| Shoreditch London | 7 | 24.35x |
| Brightside Bierlow | 6 | 46.55x |
| St Helier | 6 | 93.75x |
| Bovey Tracey | 5 | 1041.67x |
| Great Torrington | 5 | 641.03x |
| Whitechapel London | 5 | 76.45x |
| Lambeth | 4 | 6.92x |
| Bethnal Green London | 2 | 6.94x |
| Blagdon | 2 | 909.09x |
| Camberwell | 2 | 4.72x |
| Doncaster | 2 | 41.67x |
| Belstead | 1 | 1428.57x |
| Brixham | 1 | 62.50x |
| Epsom | 1 | 63.69x |
| Hove | 1 | 20.37x |
| Hunsdon | 1 | 833.33x |
| Islington London | 1 | 1.56x |
| Kingston By Sea | 1 | 555.56x |
| Parkstone | 1 | 196.08x |
| Portsea | 1 | 3.75x |
| St George Hanover Square | 1 | 8.56x |
| St Marylebone London | 1 | 2.82x |
| Sutton Courtney | 1 | 476.19x |
| Uxbridge | 1 | 131.58x |
| West Bromwich | 1 | 7.80x |
| Wrotham | 1 | 133.33x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Cress surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Cress surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Cress households.
FAQ
In 1881, 62 people were recorded with the Cress surname. That placed it at #24,843 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 43 in 2016. That gives Cress a modern rank of #35,285.
A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a watercress bed or stream.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Cress bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.