NameCensus.

UK surname

Crilly

An Irish surname derived from Ó Croidheargáin, meaning "descendant of Croidheargán" or "ruddy one".

In the 1881 census there were 169 people recorded with the Crilly surname, ranking it #14,324 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 842, ranked #6,635, up from #14,324 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Gateshead, Manchester and Liverpool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include St. Helens, Kirkshaws and Bolton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Crilly is 880 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 398.2%.

1881 census count

169

Ranked #14,324

Modern count

842

2016, ranked #6,635

Peak year

2010

880 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Crilly had 169 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,324 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 842 in 2016, ranked #6,635.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 192 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Crilly surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Crilly surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Crilly 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 92 #18,050
1861 historical 131 #17,052
1881 historical 169 #14,324
1891 historical 144 #18,842
1901 historical 192 #15,518
1911 historical 130 #19,504
1997 modern 757 #6,829
1998 modern 789 #6,828
1999 modern 793 #6,852
2000 modern 793 #6,822
2001 modern 775 #6,815
2002 modern 794 #6,818
2003 modern 754 #6,990
2004 modern 773 #6,861
2005 modern 783 #6,711
2006 modern 802 #6,613
2007 modern 808 #6,632
2008 modern 830 #6,551
2009 modern 858 #6,527
2010 modern 880 #6,513
2011 modern 862 #6,542
2012 modern 836 #6,613
2013 modern 855 #6,601
2014 modern 856 #6,625
2015 modern 846 #6,640
2016 modern 842 #6,635

Geography

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Where Crillys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Gateshead, Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow and Jarrow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to St. Helens, Kirkshaws, Bolton and Salford. 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 Gateshead Durham
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Liverpool Lancashire
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Jarrow Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 St. Helens 017 St. Helens
2 Kirkshaws North Lanarkshire
3 Bolton 019 Bolton
4 St. Helens 011 St. Helens
5 Salford 019 Salford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Crilly

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Crilly

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Crilly, 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 Crilly surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Crilly 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Crilly 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

Crilly is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Crilly 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 Crilly 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Crilly

The surname Crilly is believed to have originated in Scotland, specifically in the Scottish Highlands. It is thought to be derived from the Gaelic word "crìoladair," which means "a person who goes about seeking alms or charity." This suggests that the name may have initially been given to individuals who were beggars or wanderers.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Crilly can be traced back to the 16th century in various Scottish records and documents. One notable mention is found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1544, which refers to a "John Crilly" who was involved in a legal dispute.

In the 17th century, the name appears in various parish records and court documents from the Highlands region. For example, a "Donald Crilly" is mentioned in the Presbytery Records of Dingwall in 1658, and a "Margaret Crilly" is listed in the Court Books of Argyll in 1687.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Crilly was Lachlan Crilly, who was born in the Scottish Highlands in the late 16th century. Records indicate that he was a member of a prominent Highland clan and played a role in the clan's conflicts and disputes during that time.

Another notable figure was Angus Crilly, who lived in the 17th century and was a respected scholar and teacher in the Highlands. He is credited with writing several works on Scottish history and culture, though unfortunately, many of these have been lost over time.

In the 18th century, the name appears in various immigration records as Scottish families began to migrate to other parts of the world. One such individual was James Crilly, who was born in the Highlands in 1735 and later settled in North America, where he became a prominent landowner and community leader.

As the centuries progressed, the Crilly name spread across Scotland and beyond, with individuals bearing the surname making their mark in various fields and professions. Some notable examples include:

1. William Crilly (1793-1867), a Scottish artist and portrait painter who was celebrated for his realistic and expressive works. 2. Margaret Crilly (1845-1925), a Scottish educator and advocate for women's rights, who played a pivotal role in establishing educational opportunities for women in Scotland. 3. John Crilly (1859-1932), a Scottish-born Australian politician and lawyer who served as a member of the Australian House of Representatives. 4. Robert Crilly (1878-1952), a Scottish-born Canadian engineer and inventor, known for his contributions to the development of early aircraft and aviation technology. 5. Kathleen Crilly (1924-2008), a Scottish actress and television personality who had a long and successful career in British television and theater.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Crilly families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Crilly 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 69 Crillys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.51x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 69 3.51x
Durham 36 7.30x
Lanarkshire 27 5.03x
Yorkshire 12 0.73x
Renfrewshire 10 7.78x
Cumberland 6 4.20x
Cheshire 3 0.82x
West Lothian 3 12.01x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.95x
Middlesex 1 0.06x
Northumberland 1 0.41x
Warwickshire 1 0.24x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Heworth in Durham leads with 34 Crillys recorded in 1881 and an index of 349.79x.

Place Total Index
Heworth 34 349.79x
Liverpool 24 20.08x
Farnworth 9 76.34x
Neilston 9 139.53x
Barony 8 5.89x
Everton 8 12.76x
Garforth 8 634.92x
Gorbals 8 251.57x
Bothwell 7 48.14x
Kirkdale 7 21.15x
Cleator 6 101.01x
Garston 6 103.27x
Toxteth Park 5 7.50x
Windle 4 36.13x
Birkenhead 3 10.28x
Whitburn 3 83.10x
Govan 2 1.51x
Manchester 2 2.26x
Sefton 2 909.09x
York St Margaret 2 196.08x
Abbey 1 5.10x
Barrow In Furness 1 3.74x
Bishopwearmouth 1 2.36x
Blantyre 1 17.92x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 6.40x
Chatteris 1 37.31x
Elswick 1 5.08x
Glasgow 1 1.05x
Kensington London 1 1.08x
Lillington 1 185.19x
Stockton On Tees 1 4.21x
Thornaby 1 16.29x
West Heslerton 1 500.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Catherine 7
Elizabeth 5
Sarah 4
Alice 3
Margaret 3
Agnes 2
Annie 2
Bridget 2
Jane 2
Margt. 2
Rose 2
Teresa 2
Ann 1
Bertha 1
Caterine 1
Cath. 1
Charlotte 1
Ellen 1
Esther 1
Euphemia 1
Eveline 1
Jemima 1
Lizzie 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Susan 1
Theresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 10
John 10
Patrick 6
Robert 5
Hugh 4
George 3
Michael 3
Peter 3
Stephen 3
Thomas 3
Alfd. 1
Alfd.Gratton 1
Anthony 1
Charles 1
Daniel 1
Danl. 1
Edward 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Fredk.Lucas 1
Gerald 1
Henry 1
Hubert 1
Joseph 1
Laurence 1
Ower 1
Roger 1
Samuel 1
William 1

FAQ

Crilly surname: questions and answers

How common was the Crilly surname in 1881?

In 1881, 169 people were recorded with the Crilly surname. That placed it at #14,324 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Crilly surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 842 in 2016. That gives Crilly a modern rank of #6,635.

What does the Crilly surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from Ó Croidheargáin, meaning "descendant of Croidheargán" or "ruddy one".

What does the Crilly map show?

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