NameCensus.

UK surname

Crilley

Of Irish origin, Crilley is a surname derived from the Gaelic 'O'Criollaidh' meaning 'descendant of Criollaidh'.

In the 1881 census there were 99 people recorded with the Crilley surname, ranking it #19,877 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 273, ranked #15,800, up from #19,877 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rutherglen, Gateshead and Toxteth Park. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Carlisle, North East Derbyshire and Lochaber East and North.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Crilley is 298 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 175.8%.

1881 census count

99

Ranked #19,877

Modern count

273

2016, ranked #15,800

Peak year

2011

298 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Crilley had 99 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,877 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 273 in 2016, ranked #15,800.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 181 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Crilley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Crilley surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Crilley 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 30 #27,891
1861 historical 67 #25,342
1881 historical 99 #19,877
1891 historical 131 #20,073
1901 historical 181 #16,107
1911 historical 179 #16,023
1997 modern 282 #14,072
1998 modern 283 #14,442
1999 modern 278 #14,705
2000 modern 275 #14,757
2001 modern 280 #14,364
2002 modern 275 #14,819
2003 modern 276 #14,604
2004 modern 272 #14,843
2005 modern 265 #15,048
2006 modern 271 #14,880
2007 modern 277 #14,818
2008 modern 272 #15,152
2009 modern 284 #14,986
2010 modern 291 #15,050
2011 modern 298 #14,666
2012 modern 282 #15,158
2013 modern 277 #15,644
2014 modern 281 #15,583
2015 modern 278 #15,586
2016 modern 273 #15,800

Geography

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Where Crilleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rutherglen, Gateshead, Toxteth Park, Manchester and Dean. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Carlisle, North East Derbyshire, Lochaber East and North, Glenwood South and Kirkshaws. 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 Rutherglen Lanark
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Toxteth Park Lancashire
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Dean Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Carlisle 011 Carlisle
2 North East Derbyshire 009 North East Derbyshire
3 Lochaber East and North Highland
4 Glenwood South Glasgow City
5 Kirkshaws North Lanarkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Crilley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Crilley

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Crilley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Crilley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Crilley is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Crilley is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Crilley falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Crilley is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Crilley, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Crilley

The surname Crilley is of Irish origin, with its roots tracing back to the ancient Gaelic language. The name is believed to have originated in County Monaghan, a region located in the northern part of Ireland, during the Middle Ages.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Crilley surname can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, which mentions a notable figure named Máel Brigte Ua Críllé in the year 1021. This individual's name suggests that the surname may have derived from the Gaelic word "crille," meaning "heart" or "courage."

The Crilley surname is also closely associated with the Irish clan system, where it was likely adopted as a hereditary surname by members of a particular family or kin group. During the 16th and 17th centuries, as the use of hereditary surnames became more widespread, the Crilley name gained prominence in County Monaghan and its surrounding areas.

Historical records from the 17th century, such as the Hearth Money Rolls of 1665, list several individuals bearing the Crilley surname. One notable example is Patrick Crilley, who was recorded as a landowner in County Monaghan during that time period.

The name Crilley has also been connected to various place names in Ireland, such as Crillystown, a townland located in County Monaghan. This suggests that the surname may have been derived from a specific geographic location or settlement associated with the family's ancestral roots.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the Crilley surname. One prominent figure was John Crilley (1835-1907), an Irish-American businessman and politician who served as the Mayor of Bridgeport, Connecticut, from 1889 to 1891.

Another individual of note was Thomas Crilley (1867-1935), an Irish-born American labor leader who played a significant role in the American labor movement during the early 20th century.

In the realm of literature, the Crilley surname is represented by authors such as Paul Crilley (born 1975), a British writer known for his fantasy and science fiction novels, including the Deliverance Trilogy.

Additionally, the name has been associated with figures in the arts, such as James Crilley (1919-2004), an American sculptor and artist whose works were exhibited in various galleries and museums.

Furthermore, the Crilley surname has been carried by individuals who have made contributions in various fields, such as academia, sports, and public service, further adding to the rich tapestry of its historical significance.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Crilley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Crilley 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 43 Crilleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.71x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 43 3.71x
Lanarkshire 23 7.29x
Durham 8 2.76x
Ayrshire 6 8.22x
Surrey 5 1.05x
Middlesex 3 0.31x
Devon 2 0.99x
Flintshire 2 7.63x
Northumberland 2 1.38x
Cheshire 1 0.46x
Isle of Man 1 5.52x
Kent 1 0.30x
Staffordshire 1 0.30x
Warwickshire 1 0.41x
Yorkshire 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Manchester in Lancashire leads with 11 Crilleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.13x.

Place Total Index
Manchester 11 21.13x
Toxteth Park 10 25.52x
Liverpool 9 12.80x
Rutherglen 9 194.38x
Glasgow 7 12.50x
Shotts 7 185.19x
Stockton On Tees 7 50.04x
Dalry 6 174.42x
Farnworth 5 72.05x
Lambeth 5 5.88x
Parr 3 72.46x
Hulme 2 8.27x
Mile End Old Town London 2 9.63x
Northop 2 215.05x
Okehampton 2 259.74x
Ashton Under Lyne 1 3.95x
Aston 1 1.48x
Bilston 1 15.67x
Chester St John Baptist 1 25.84x
Heworth 1 17.48x
Hexham 1 44.44x
Milton In Gravesend 1 20.04x
Onchan 1 19.16x
Pendleton In Salford 1 7.25x
St Pancras London 1 1.27x
Tynemouth 1 12.87x
Widnes 1 11.98x
York St Nicholas In 1 185.19x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Elizabeth 5
Sarah 4
Catherine 3
Ellen 3
Ann 2
Annie 2
Bridget 2
Arthur 1
Cordelia 1
Eliza 1
Emma 1
Jane 1
Letitia 1
Lucy 1
Margt. 1
Teresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 5
Joseph 5
James 4
Robert 4
Charles 2
Thomas 2
William 2
Benj. 1
Daniel 1
Edward 1
Francis 1
George 1
Henry 1
Heugh 1
Jno. 1
Michael 1
Nicholas 1
Patrick 1

FAQ

Crilley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Crilley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 99 people were recorded with the Crilley surname. That placed it at #19,877 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Crilley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 273 in 2016. That gives Crilley a modern rank of #15,800.

What does the Crilley surname mean?

Of Irish origin, Crilley is a surname derived from the Gaelic 'O'Criollaidh' meaning 'descendant of Criollaidh'.

What does the Crilley map show?

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