NameCensus.

UK surname

Cressy

A surname derived from the place name Cressy in France or England.

In the 1881 census there were 225 people recorded with the Cressy surname, ranking it #11,931 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 125, ranked #26,827, down from #11,931 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rasen, Market, London parishes and Hull Holy Trinity. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Aberchirder and Whitehills, Milton Keynes and South Norfolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cressy is 274 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 44.4%.

1881 census count

225

Ranked #11,931

Modern count

125

2016, ranked #26,827

Peak year

1901

274 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cressy had 225 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,931 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 125 in 2016, ranked #26,827.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 274 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Suburban Professionals.

Cressy surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cressy surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cressy 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 105 #16,618
1861 historical 68 #25,196
1881 historical 225 #11,931
1891 historical 216 #14,107
1901 historical 274 #12,370
1911 historical 201 #14,905
1997 modern 130 #23,021
1998 modern 147 #21,935
1999 modern 138 #22,983
2000 modern 137 #23,048
2001 modern 134 #23,037
2002 modern 128 #24,150
2003 modern 125 #24,265
2004 modern 125 #24,443
2005 modern 120 #25,066
2006 modern 121 #25,133
2007 modern 123 #25,208
2008 modern 134 #24,249
2009 modern 134 #24,711
2010 modern 136 #25,009
2011 modern 137 #24,716
2012 modern 126 #26,148
2013 modern 128 #26,336
2014 modern 128 #26,490
2015 modern 127 #26,494
2016 modern 125 #26,827

Geography

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Where Cressys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rasen, Market, London parishes, Hull Holy Trinity and Walthamstow, Low Leyton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Aberchirder and Whitehills, Milton Keynes, South Norfolk, Trafford and St Edmundsbury. 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 Rasen, Market Lincolnshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
4 Walthamstow, Low Leyton Essex
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Aberchirder and Whitehills Aberdeenshire
2 Milton Keynes 017 Milton Keynes
3 South Norfolk 008 South Norfolk
4 Trafford 016 Trafford
5 St Edmundsbury 002 St Edmundsbury

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cressy

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cressy

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Suburban Professionals

Nationally, the Cressy surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Suburban Professionals, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Cressy household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Employment in this Group is typically in managerial and professional occupations, and education to degree level is common. Residents are typically of working age, many of whom identify with an Indian ethnicity. Households are unlikely to be of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities, and English is not the main language used in some households. This Group is found on the outskirts of most conurbations as well as in the suburbs of some free-standing towns.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Cressy is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Cressy is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Cressy falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Cressy

The surname CRESSY is of English origin, derived from the Old French word "cresse" meaning "watercress." This name likely referred to someone who lived near a place where watercress grew abundantly or someone who cultivated or sold watercress.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name CRESSY can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Cresse" in reference to landowners in Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire. The name evolved over time, taking on various spellings such as Cressy, Cressey, and Cressie.

In the 13th century, records show a Hugo de Cressy who was a landholder in Buckinghamshire. Later, in the 14th century, a John Cressy was listed as a taxpayer in the Lay Subsidy Rolls for Yorkshire in 1379.

The CRESSY name is also associated with several notable historical figures. Sir Hugh Cressy (1605-1674) was an English Benedictine monk and theologian who converted from Anglicanism to Catholicism. He wrote extensively on religious matters and is particularly known for his work "The Church History of Brittany."

Another prominent figure was Sir Edward Cressy (1619-1694), an English judge and politician who served as Chief Justice of the Common Pleas during the reign of King Charles II. He played a significant role in the legal proceedings following the Popish Plot of 1678.

In the realm of literature, Hugh Paulinus de Cressy (1598-1674) was an English Benedictine monk and author who wrote extensively on Catholic theology and spirituality. His works include "The Church History of Brittany" and "The Life of Christ."

The name CRESSY can also be found in association with various place names in England, such as Cressy Hall in Lincolnshire and Cressy Farm in Gloucestershire, further suggesting the geographic origins of the surname.

Throughout history, the CRESSY surname has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, including landowners, clergy, lawyers, and authors, reflecting the rich tapestry of English heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cressy families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cressy 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. Yorkshire leads with 67 Cressys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.07x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 67 3.07x
Middlesex 66 2.99x
Essex 23 5.29x
Lancashire 12 0.46x
Cheshire 9 1.85x
Kent 9 1.20x
Nottinghamshire 9 3.03x
Surrey 8 0.74x
Sussex 7 1.88x
Lanarkshire 4 0.56x
Lincolnshire 3 0.85x
Hampshire 2 0.44x
Dorset 1 0.69x
Gloucestershire 1 0.23x
Leicestershire 1 0.41x
Norfolk 1 0.30x
Royal Navy 1 3.81x
Somerset 1 0.28x
Suffolk 1 0.37x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Holy Trinity in Yorkshire leads with 26 Cressys recorded in 1881 and an index of 49.49x.

Place Total Index
Holy Trinity 26 49.49x
Hackney London 14 11.33x
Kensington London 12 9.79x
Walthamstow 12 76.63x
St Pancras London 11 6.20x
Bramley In Bramley 10 119.62x
Stockport Etchells 9 865.38x
Ellerker 8 3636.36x
Fulham London 7 21.90x
Selby 7 153.17x
Snaith Cowick 7 534.35x
Hammersmith London 6 11.05x
Milton In Gravesend 6 53.19x
Basford 5 36.50x
Beddington 5 120.48x
Woodford 5 101.42x
Edmonton 4 22.52x
Govan 4 2.27x
Great Clacton 4 270.27x
Hollington 4 303.03x
Nottingham St Mary 4 5.20x
Willesden 4 19.25x
Islington London 3 1.40x
Newchurch 3 14.02x
Ore 3 108.30x
St George In East London 3 14.47x
Accrington 2 8.41x
Birkdale 2 30.21x
Blatchinworth 2 33.56x
Bradford 2 3.78x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 4.81x
Clee With Weelsby 2 25.91x
Lambeth 2 1.04x
Lewisham 2 4.99x
West Ham 2 2.08x
Wickham 2 240.96x
Ardwick 1 4.24x
Atwick 1 416.67x
Barton Le Willows 1 500.00x
Bishops Hull 1 86.96x
Blaby 1 102.04x
Camberwell 1 0.71x
Castleford 1 12.58x
Clerkenwell London 1 1.92x
Cranborne 1 57.14x
Filey 1 56.50x
Gloucester St John Baptist 1 35.84x
Kedington 1 140.85x
Mappleton Rowlston 1 769.23x
Metheringham 1 70.92x
North Kilvington 1 1428.57x
Royal Navy 1 4.45x
Sevenoaks 1 16.39x
South Lynn 1 26.11x
St Anne Soho London 1 7.94x
St Mary 1 68.49x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 21
Charles 8
William 8
George 7
Thomas 7
Henry 6
Robert 6
James 5
Alfred 3
Herbert 3
Arthur 2
Frederick 2
Richard 2
Walter 2
Aaron 1
Albert 1
Benjamin 1
Bernard 1
Blanchard 1
Clarence 1
Clement 1
Courtney 1
David 1
Edwd.G. 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Gertrude 1
Giles 1
Harold 1
Harry 1
Hubert 1
Jesser 1
Marmaduke 1
Matthew 1
Norman 1
Owen 1
Ripley 1
Samuel 1
Sidney 1
Sydney 1
Thornton 1
Vernon 1
Willam 1

FAQ

Cressy surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cressy surname in 1881?

In 1881, 225 people were recorded with the Cressy surname. That placed it at #11,931 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cressy surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 125 in 2016. That gives Cressy a modern rank of #26,827.

What does the Cressy surname mean?

A surname derived from the place name Cressy in France or England.

What does the Cressy map show?

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