NameCensus.

UK surname

Crewe

A locational surname derived from the town of Crewe in Cheshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 761 people recorded with the Crewe surname, ranking it #4,855 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,603, ranked #3,878, up from #4,855 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Whitchurch, London parishes and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wrexham, Stroud and Leicester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Crewe is 1,730 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 110.6%.

1881 census count

761

Ranked #4,855

Modern count

1,603

2016, ranked #3,878

Peak year

2000

1,730 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Crewe had 761 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,855 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,603 in 2016, ranked #3,878.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,515 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Crewe surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Crewe surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Crewe 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 343 #6,861
1861 historical 341 #7,479
1881 historical 761 #4,855
1891 historical 965 #4,284
1901 historical 1,274 #3,896
1911 historical 1,515 #3,192
1997 modern 1,615 #3,671
1998 modern 1,712 #3,617
1999 modern 1,712 #3,641
2000 modern 1,730 #3,589
2001 modern 1,683 #3,611
2002 modern 1,690 #3,666
2003 modern 1,642 #3,680
2004 modern 1,678 #3,622
2005 modern 1,661 #3,611
2006 modern 1,603 #3,726
2007 modern 1,643 #3,687
2008 modern 1,666 #3,659
2009 modern 1,687 #3,703
2010 modern 1,720 #3,713
2011 modern 1,688 #3,728
2012 modern 1,610 #3,828
2013 modern 1,673 #3,752
2014 modern 1,664 #3,800
2015 modern 1,623 #3,852
2016 modern 1,603 #3,878

Geography

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Where Crewes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Whitchurch, London parishes, Manchester, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars and Bedwelty. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wrexham, Stroud and Leicester. 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 Whitchurch Shropshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
5 Bedwelty Monmouthshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wrexham 003 Wrexham
2 Stroud 015 Stroud
3 Wrexham 008 Wrexham
4 Wrexham 020 Wrexham
5 Leicester 035 Leicester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Crewe

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Crewe

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Crewe 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

Crewe is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Crewe

The surname Crewe has its origins in England, and is believed to have emerged during the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name, derived from the town of Crewe in Cheshire. The name of the town itself is believed to have come from an Old English word "crawan," meaning "crow."

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Crewe can be traced back to the 13th century. One of the first known bearers of the name was Robert de Crewe, who was mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Cheshire in 1286. The spelling of the name varied over time, with variations such as Crew, Crowe, and Crewes being seen in historical records.

The Crewe family played a significant role in the history of Cheshire and neighboring areas. Sir Randolph Crewe (1558-1648) was an English lawyer and politician who served as Speaker of the House of Commons from 1623 to 1625. His son, John Crewe (1598-1701), was a prominent landowner and Member of Parliament for Brackley.

Another notable figure with the surname Crewe was Nathaniel Crewe (1633-1721), who was the Bishop of Durham from 1674 until his death. He was known for his efforts in rebuilding parts of Durham Cathedral and for his charitable works.

In the 18th century, John Crewe (1742-1828) was a British politician and landowner who served as Member of Parliament for Cheshire and was also the Lord Lieutenant of Cheshire. He was instrumental in the development of the town of Crewe as a railway junction, which led to its growth and prosperity.

During the Victorian era, Robert Offley Ashburton Crewe-Milnes (1858-1945), known as the Marquess of Crewe, was a prominent politician and author. He served as Secretary of State for India and Lord President of the Council, among other positions.

Throughout its history, the surname Crewe has been associated with various places and landmarks in Cheshire and neighboring areas, reflecting its locational origins and the prominence of the Crewe family in the region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Crewe families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Crewe 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. Lancashire leads with 123 Crewes recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.36x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 123 1.36x
Cheshire 95 5.63x
Shropshire 80 12.12x
Middlesex 67 0.88x
Staffordshire 53 2.06x
Denbighshire 51 17.68x
Surrey 34 0.91x
Flintshire 31 15.10x
Yorkshire 26 0.34x
Gloucestershire 25 1.67x
Channel Islands 19 8.39x
Derbyshire 19 1.59x
Wiltshire 15 2.22x
Hampshire 14 0.89x
Montgomeryshire 14 8.00x
Buckinghamshire 12 2.60x
Warwickshire 12 0.62x
Dorset 9 1.80x
Monmouthshire 9 1.63x
Essex 8 0.53x
Kent 8 0.31x
Nottinghamshire 8 0.78x
Worcestershire 6 0.60x
Herefordshire 5 1.60x
Lanarkshire 5 0.20x
Berkshire 4 0.70x
Isle of Man 4 2.82x
Sussex 4 0.31x
Northamptonshire 3 0.42x
Durham 2 0.09x
Glamorgan 2 0.15x
Hertfordshire 2 0.38x
Leicestershire 2 0.24x
Norfolk 2 0.17x
Somerset 2 0.16x
Anglesey 1 0.74x
Ayrshire 1 0.17x
Cornwall 1 0.12x
Devon 1 0.06x
Midlothian 1 0.10x
Oxfordshire 1 0.21x
Royal Navy 1 1.10x
Suffolk 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Whitchurch in Shropshire leads with 31 Crewes recorded in 1881 and an index of 242.00x.

Place Total Index
Whitchurch 31 242.00x
Manchester 25 6.13x
Stoke Upon Trent 24 8.78x
St Pancras London 22 3.58x
Preston 19 7.84x
Chester Holy Trinity 17 215.19x
Hulme 17 8.98x
Burland 15 872.09x
Ruabon 13 32.77x
St Marylebone London 13 3.19x
Wybunbury 13 833.33x
Bronington 12 677.97x
Great Marlow 12 96.31x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 11 7.80x
Mortlake 11 66.31x
Welsh Hampton 11 808.82x
Blackburn 10 4.15x
Broughton 10 88.18x
Burton 10 537.63x
Swindon 10 19.09x
Aston 9 1.70x
Bersham 9 73.11x
Lower Bebington 9 89.82x
St Sampson 9 88.24x
Ardwick 8 9.79x
Lambeth 8 1.20x
Liverpool 8 1.45x
Long Eaton 8 50.70x
Newtown 8 71.49x
Okeford Fitzpaine 8 500.00x
St Peter Port 8 19.11x
Stafford St Mary 8 21.92x
Carlton In Barnsley 7 246.48x
Darcy Lever 7 134.10x
Prees 7 87.06x
Burslem 6 8.12x
Etwall 6 434.78x
Hanmer 6 379.75x
Kerry 6 114.07x
Moreton Corbet 6 909.09x
Nottingham St Mary 6 2.25x
Risca 6 57.64x
Stockport 6 6.91x
Wolverhampton 6 3.03x
Camberwell 5 1.02x
Chipping Barnet 5 250.00x
Easton 5 393.70x
Hamilton 5 7.26x
Islington London 5 0.68x
Ledbury 5 46.47x
Macclesfield 5 6.67x
Sandbach 5 34.77x
Shrewsbury St Mary 5 19.20x
Smallthorne 5 52.25x
Streatham 5 8.82x
Bermondsey 4 1.76x
Betchton 4 185.19x
Bristol St James St Paul 4 8.01x
Cheadle 4 12.42x
Douglas 4 195.12x
Entwistle 4 449.44x
Hadnall 4 287.77x
Hanmer Halghton 4 373.83x
Leeds 4 0.94x
Malpas Iscoyd 4 373.83x
St George Hanover Square 4 2.97x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 4 11.38x
Warfield 4 76.78x
Wem 4 40.77x
West Derby 4 1.51x
West Ham 4 1.20x
Whitchurch Broughall 4 615.38x
Wrexham Regis 4 18.67x
Ackton 3 162.16x
Bristol St Augustine 3 12.41x
Chester St Martin 3 111.94x
Hackney London 3 0.70x
Hastings St Mary 3 9.36x
Kensington London 3 0.71x
Northampton St Sepulchre 3 8.21x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 57
William 40
George 29
Joseph 27
Thomas 24
James 21
Henry 17
Charles 15
Robert 14
Richard 10
Edward 9
Samuel 9
Frederick 8
Edwin 7
Alfred 6
Peter 5
Albert 3
Arthur 3
Fredrick 3
Harry 3
Isaac 3
Walter 3
Wm. 3
Clifford 2
Edgar 2
Frank 2
Fred 2
Herbert 2
Louis 2
Percy 2
Saml. 2
Sidney 2
Stephen 2
Tom 2
Andrew 1
Chas. 1
Christmas 1
Cyril 1
Daniel 1
Ernest 1
Francie 1
Francis 1
Fred. 1
Frederic 1
Jno. 1
Job 1
Lionel 1
Mary 1
Owen 1
Wm.Thomas 1

FAQ

Crewe surname: questions and answers

How common was the Crewe surname in 1881?

In 1881, 761 people were recorded with the Crewe surname. That placed it at #4,855 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Crewe surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,603 in 2016. That gives Crewe a modern rank of #3,878.

What does the Crewe surname mean?

A locational surname derived from the town of Crewe in Cheshire, England.

What does the Crewe map show?

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