NameCensus.

UK surname

Crew

An English occupational surname referring to a ship's company or a group of people working together.

In the 1881 census there were 1,887 people recorded with the Crew surname, ranking it #2,310 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,968, ranked #3,271, down from #2,310 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Bedminster and Dudley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bolsover, South Gloucestershire and Stroud.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Crew is 2,251 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 4.3%.

1881 census count

1,887

Ranked #2,310

Modern count

1,968

2016, ranked #3,271

Peak year

1911

2,251 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Crew had 1,887 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,310 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,968 in 2016, ranked #3,271.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,251 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Crew surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Crew surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Crew 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 1,371 #2,095
1861 historical 1,371 #2,089
1881 historical 1,887 #2,310
1891 historical 1,969 #2,344
1901 historical 2,087 #2,570
1911 historical 2,251 #2,249
1997 modern 2,020 #3,034
1998 modern 2,066 #3,080
1999 modern 2,048 #3,124
2000 modern 1,997 #3,169
2001 modern 1,967 #3,147
2002 modern 2,000 #3,173
2003 modern 1,974 #3,150
2004 modern 1,979 #3,146
2005 modern 1,935 #3,171
2006 modern 1,914 #3,216
2007 modern 1,914 #3,234
2008 modern 1,888 #3,294
2009 modern 1,938 #3,297
2010 modern 1,961 #3,327
2011 modern 1,980 #3,257
2012 modern 1,947 #3,254
2013 modern 1,953 #3,309
2014 modern 1,968 #3,305
2015 modern 1,958 #3,286
2016 modern 1,968 #3,271

Geography

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Where Crews are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Bedminster, Dudley, London parishes and Luton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bolsover, South Gloucestershire and Stroud. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Bedminster Somerset
3 Dudley Staffordshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Luton Bedfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bolsover 007 Bolsover
2 South Gloucestershire 024 South Gloucestershire
3 South Gloucestershire 031 South Gloucestershire
4 South Gloucestershire 026 South Gloucestershire
5 Stroud 015 Stroud

Forenames

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First names often paired with Crew

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Crew

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

Crew 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

Crew falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Crew

The surname Crew has its origins in England, tracing back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word "cru," which means "grown" or "increased." The name likely referred to someone who was involved in agriculture or worked on a farm or estate.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire, compiled in 1273, where it appears as "le Crew." This suggests that the name was initially used as a descriptive nickname before becoming a hereditary surname.

In the 14th century, the name Crew appeared in various records across different counties in England, including the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379, where it is spelled "Crewe." This variation in spelling was common during that time, as standardized spellings were not yet established.

The Crew surname is also associated with several place names in England, such as Crewe in Cheshire, which may have influenced the development of the name in certain regions. The town of Crewe itself is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, recorded as "Craua."

Notable individuals with the surname Crew include:

1. Sir Randolph Crew (1558-1636), an English politician and Speaker of the House of Commons. 2. John Crew (c. 1598-1679), an English clergyman and Bishop of Oxford and Durham. 3. Nathaniel Crew (1633-1721), an English politician and Baron Crew of Stene. 4. Henry Crew (1859-1953), an English cricketer who played for Derbyshire and England. 5. Amanda Crew (born 1986), a Canadian actress known for her roles in films like "The Age of Adaline" and the television series "Silicon Valley."

While the Crew name has its roots in agriculture and rural England, it has since spread across various regions and countries, with different branches of the family establishing their own legacies and contributions throughout history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Crew families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Crew 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. Gloucestershire leads with 333 Crews recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.20x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 333 9.20x
Middlesex 244 1.32x
Worcestershire 166 6.89x
Somerset 148 4.98x
Surrey 119 1.32x
Yorkshire 119 0.65x
Dorset 98 8.09x
Lancashire 86 0.39x
Kent 81 1.29x
Wiltshire 78 4.78x
Bedfordshire 54 5.65x
Hertfordshire 51 4.01x
Warwickshire 32 0.69x
Hampshire 29 0.77x
Monmouthshire 28 2.10x
Staffordshire 28 0.45x
Cheshire 22 0.54x
Buckinghamshire 21 1.88x
Essex 19 0.52x
Leicestershire 18 0.88x
Nottinghamshire 18 0.72x
Ayrshire 11 0.80x
Glamorgan 11 0.34x
Brecknockshire 10 2.71x
Northamptonshire 10 0.58x
Devon 8 0.21x
Durham 8 0.15x
Oxfordshire 6 0.53x
Sussex 6 0.19x
Berkshire 5 0.36x
Cambridgeshire 4 0.34x
Flintshire 4 0.81x
Lanarkshire 3 0.05x
Norfolk 3 0.11x
Cornwall 2 0.10x
Cumberland 2 0.13x
Isle of Man 2 0.58x
Shropshire 2 0.13x
Denbighshire 1 0.14x
Stirlingshire 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dudley in Worcestershire leads with 133 Crews recorded in 1881 and an index of 45.42x.

Place Total Index
Dudley 133 45.42x
Bedminster 64 22.94x
Luton 49 29.63x
Islington London 42 2.35x
Bristol St George 37 22.11x
Bitton Oldland 35 94.65x
Bermondsey 32 5.83x
St Pancras London 31 2.09x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 26 7.63x
Lambeth 25 1.55x
Leeds 23 2.23x
Hawkesbury 21 170.59x
Aston 20 1.56x
Deptford St Paul 20 4.12x
Iwerne Courtnay 20 245.40x
Laycock 20 270.64x
Tetbury 20 97.51x
Marnhull 19 215.66x
Great Marlow 18 59.80x
Almondsbury 17 123.01x
Cam 17 153.15x
Camberwell 17 1.44x
Liverpool 17 1.28x
Kidderminster Foreign 16 46.98x
Leicester St Margaret 16 3.21x
Woolwich 16 6.88x
St Marylebone London 15 1.52x
Frampton Cotterell 14 110.24x
Paddington London 14 2.06x
Lewisham 13 3.87x
Bradpole 12 120.97x
Shoreditch London 12 1.50x
Stalbridge 12 104.35x
Swindon 12 9.48x
Birmingham 11 0.71x
Cirencester 11 22.46x
Hemel Hempstead 11 19.20x
Nottingham St Mary 11 1.71x
Toxteth Park 11 1.48x
Westminster St John 11 4.90x
Hoyland Nether 10 22.31x
Netherbury 10 99.90x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 10 11.78x
Bathford 9 147.54x
Bedwellty 9 3.82x
Bow London 9 3.83x
Bromley London 9 2.22x
Brotton 9 37.72x
Dalry 9 13.85x
Greenwich 9 3.06x
Hunslet 9 3.16x
Lee 9 9.85x
Methley 9 34.97x
Mile End New Town London 9 24.69x
Sedgley 9 3.89x
St George Martyr London 9 24.09x
Twerton 9 29.39x
Child Okeford 8 149.81x
Devizes St John 8 65.31x
Down Ampney 8 366.97x
Dyrham Hinton 8 316.21x
Eglwysilan 8 14.35x
Hertford St John 8 42.22x
Mangotsfield 8 22.19x
Purton 8 55.10x
Rotherhithe 8 3.51x
South Cerney 8 134.45x
Sturminster 8 68.14x
Trevethin 8 6.35x
Avening 7 54.77x
Ecclesfield 7 5.22x
Hetton Le Hole 7 10.06x
Higham Ferrers 7 74.23x
Holy Trinity Less London 7 149.89x
Kensington London 7 0.68x
Lyncombe Widcombe 7 9.00x
Morley 7 7.37x
Salford 7 1.09x
Walcot 7 4.43x
West Ham 7 0.87x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 115
John 80
Thomas 63
Charles 56
George 55
Henry 47
James 44
Alfred 31
Samuel 27
Albert 21
Frederick 21
Joseph 20
Edward 18
Walter 17
Arthur 14
Frank 11
Richard 10
Isaac 9
Edwin 8
David 7
Job 7
Moses 7
Robert 7
Benjamin 6
Harry 6
Daniel 5
Ernest 5
Herbert 5
Stephen 5
Abraham 4
Fred 4
Mark 4
Samson 4
Sidney 4
Aaron 3
Sam 3
Thos. 3
Tom 3
Worthy 3
Alexander 2
Bertie 2
Edgar 2
Edmund 2
Elijah 2
Francis 2
Jesse 2
Mathew 2
Percy 2
Robt. 2
Sydney 2

FAQ

Crew surname: questions and answers

How common was the Crew surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,887 people were recorded with the Crew surname. That placed it at #2,310 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Crew surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,968 in 2016. That gives Crew a modern rank of #3,271.

What does the Crew surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a ship's company or a group of people working together.

What does the Crew map show?

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