NameCensus.

UK surname

Criddle

A habitational surname referring to someone who lived near a creek or stream.

In the 1881 census there were 499 people recorded with the Criddle surname, ranking it #6,784 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 705, ranked #7,661, down from #6,784 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Sampford Brett, Bicknoller, Stogumber and St Decuman, Nettlecombe, Old Cleeve, Kilton, Lilstock, Dodington, Stringston, Holford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Herefordshire, Cardiff and Sedgemoor.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Criddle is 801 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 41.3%.

1881 census count

499

Ranked #6,784

Modern count

705

2016, ranked #7,661

Peak year

1999

801 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Criddle had 499 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,784 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 705 in 2016, ranked #7,661.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 644 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Criddle surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Criddle surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Criddle 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 300 #7,650
1861 historical 299 #8,460
1881 historical 499 #6,784
1891 historical 499 #7,446
1901 historical 583 #7,232
1911 historical 644 #6,486
1997 modern 791 #6,593
1998 modern 800 #6,748
1999 modern 801 #6,782
2000 modern 781 #6,908
2001 modern 763 #6,900
2002 modern 747 #7,131
2003 modern 736 #7,110
2004 modern 708 #7,330
2005 modern 689 #7,441
2006 modern 691 #7,433
2007 modern 685 #7,561
2008 modern 702 #7,463
2009 modern 732 #7,380
2010 modern 746 #7,410
2011 modern 740 #7,390
2012 modern 736 #7,331
2013 modern 733 #7,470
2014 modern 728 #7,553
2015 modern 709 #7,646
2016 modern 705 #7,661

Geography

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Where Criddles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Sampford Brett, Bicknoller, Stogumber, St Decuman, Nettlecombe, Old Cleeve, Kilton, Lilstock, Dodington, Stringston, Holford, Axbridge and Lydeard St Lawrence. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Herefordshire, Cardiff, Sedgemoor and Torbay. 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 Sampford Brett, Bicknoller, Stogumber Somerset
3 St Decuman, Nettlecombe, Old Cleeve, Kilton, Lilstock, Dodington, Stringston, Holford Somerset
4 Axbridge Somerset
5 Lydeard St Lawrence Somerset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Herefordshire 023 Herefordshire, County of
2 Cardiff 045 Cardiff
3 Sedgemoor 006 Sedgemoor
4 Torbay 017 Torbay
5 Sedgemoor 005 Sedgemoor

Forenames

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First names often paired with Criddle

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Criddle

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Criddle surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Criddle household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Criddle 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

Criddle is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Criddle

The surname Criddle is believed to have originated in England during the Middle Ages. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "cryddel," which referred to a small woven basket or container used for carrying food or goods. The name may have initially been an occupational surname given to someone who made or sold these baskets.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Criddle surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1207, where a certain William Criddel is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use by the early 13th century.

In the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, there is a reference to a place called "Criddeleworth," which likely means "Criddle's farm or enclosure." This indicates that the surname may have also been associated with particular locations or landholdings at one point.

One notable individual with the Criddle surname was Sir Edmund Criddle (1548-1619), an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Colchester in the late 16th and early 17th centuries.

Another historical figure bearing this name was Robert Criddle (1662-1723), a prominent merchant and landowner in the British colony of Virginia during the early 18th century.

In the field of science, Samuel Criddle (1809-1891) was a British entomologist and naturalist who made significant contributions to the study of insect life in the 19th century.

The Criddle surname also appears in various parish records and documents throughout the medieval and early modern periods in England, particularly in counties such as Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, and Somerset.

While the name may have evolved from its original occupational meaning over time, it has maintained a consistent presence in English genealogical records for centuries, highlighting its enduring legacy as a surname of English origin.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Criddle families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Criddle 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. Somerset leads with 280 Criddles recorded in 1881 and an index of 35.74x.

County Total Index
Somerset 280 35.74x
Glamorgan 40 4.72x
Middlesex 38 0.78x
Surrey 30 1.26x
Gloucestershire 23 2.41x
Devon 15 1.48x
Cheshire 14 1.30x
Lancashire 13 0.23x
Monmouthshire 11 3.13x
Cornwall 9 1.63x
Northumberland 9 1.24x
Yorkshire 6 0.12x
Durham 3 0.21x
Pembrokeshire 3 1.94x
Caernarfonshire 2 1.02x
Lincolnshire 1 0.13x
Norfolk 1 0.13x
Northamptonshire 1 0.22x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. North Petherton in Somerset leads with 33 Criddles recorded in 1881 and an index of 522.15x.

Place Total Index
North Petherton 33 522.15x
Brompton Ralph 27 3802.82x
Stogumber 26 1256.04x
Bridgewater 19 89.33x
Fitzhead 18 4090.91x
Lydeard St Lawrence 17 1931.82x
Whitchurch 17 371.18x
Taunton St Mary 15 104.31x
Clifton 12 24.87x
Old Cleeve 10 357.14x
Bethnal Green London 9 4.26x
Luxborough 9 1285.71x
Axbridge 8 1052.63x
Banwell 8 279.72x
Cardiff St John 8 28.90x
Elswick 8 13.84x
Milverton 8 276.82x
St Marylebone London 8 3.08x
Liscard 7 36.16x
Llandaff 7 24.82x
Mitcham 7 46.70x
Monks Coppenhall 7 17.26x
Roath 7 18.18x
Shoreditch London 7 3.32x
St Woollos 7 17.83x
Staplegrove 7 736.84x
Stogursey 7 333.33x
Winterbourne 7 132.58x
Chertsey 6 39.14x
Chorley 6 18.51x
Huntspill 6 186.92x
Lythe 6 312.50x
Monksilver 6 1363.64x
Mylor 6 162.60x
Southwark St George Martyr 6 6.13x
Aisholt 5 2500.00x
Huish Champflower 5 819.67x
West Buckland 5 331.13x
Williton 5 190.84x
Wiveliscombe 5 114.42x
Abergavenny 4 30.35x
Dartmouth Townstall 4 96.85x
Plymouth St Andrew 4 5.12x
Taunton St James 4 35.00x
Battersea 3 1.67x
Carhampton 3 280.37x
Chelsea London 3 2.05x
Dorking 3 18.83x
Exeter St Sidwell 3 12.93x
Haverfordwest St Martin 3 104.53x
Houghton Le Spring 3 29.97x
St George In East London 3 6.55x
Tooting Graveney 3 45.45x
Westminster St James 3 6.00x
Wilton 3 147.06x
Almondsbury 2 54.79x
Bangor 2 10.54x
Chilton Trinity 2 714.29x
Culmstock 2 138.89x
Kenwyn 2 13.88x
Rowberrow 2 714.29x
St Pancras London 2 0.51x
Toxteth Park 2 1.02x
Withycombe 2 434.78x
Yatton 2 65.57x
Acton Turville 1 204.08x
Bath St Peter St Paul 1 28.90x
Bathwick 1 11.53x
Bishops Lydeard 1 50.00x
Bristol St Michael 1 12.22x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 1.09x
Curry Rivell 1 38.17x
Didsbury 1 13.04x
Lambeth 1 0.24x
Liverpool 1 0.29x
St Columb Minor 1 21.60x
St George Hanover Square 1 1.17x
Stoke Damerel 1 1.41x
Walcot 1 2.40x
Wellington 1 9.42x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 37
Mary 35
Sarah 24
Jane 13
Eliza 11
Caroline 9
Ann 7
Elizth. 7
Ellen 7
Emma 7
Charlotte 5
Harriet 4
Louisa 4
Maria 4
Minnie 4
Alice 3
Anne 3
Bessie 3
Emily 3
Fanny 3
Hannah 3
Lucy 3
Ada 2
Amy 2
Annie 2
Elizth.Ann 2
Harriett 2
Rosa 2
Amelia 1
Beatrice 1
Bethsheba 1
Betsy 1
Betty 1
Charlott 1
Clara 1
Coria 1
E.Jane 1
Edith 1
Elena 1
Elise 1
Ethel 1
Eva 1
Florence 1
Francis 1
Georgianna 1
Gertrude 1
Henry 1
Isabel 1
Laura 1
Winnifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 39
John 31
James 24
Henry 19
Thomas 15
Charles 13
George 12
Joseph 10
Francis 7
Frederick 7
Albert 6
Richard 6
Arthur 4
Benjamin 4
Edward 4
Harry 4
Herbert 3
Robert 3
Walter 3
Henery 2
Percy 2
Alfred 1
Bertram 1
Cecil 1
David 1
Earland 1
Earnest 1
Edwin 1
Eli 1
Eli. 1
Evelyn 1
Frank 1
H. 1
Horace 1
Isaac 1
Jesse 1
Jno. 1
Leonard 1
Levi 1
Montague 1
Noah 1
Norman 1
Percey 1
Richd. 1
Robt. 1
Samuel 1
Stephen 1
Stuart 1
Sydney 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Criddle surname: questions and answers

How common was the Criddle surname in 1881?

In 1881, 499 people were recorded with the Criddle surname. That placed it at #6,784 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Criddle surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 705 in 2016. That gives Criddle a modern rank of #7,661.

What does the Criddle surname mean?

A habitational surname referring to someone who lived near a creek or stream.

What does the Criddle map show?

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