NameCensus.

UK surname

Crimes

A topographic surname potentially derived from a location name containing the French term "cresme" meaning cream or chalk.

In the 1881 census there were 248 people recorded with the Crimes surname, ranking it #11,140 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 268, ranked #16,003, down from #11,140 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Chester St Oswald, Little St John, Cathedral Church, St Peter, St Bridget, St Martin, Holy Trinity, Manchester and Tarvin (Tarvin), Priors Hay. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester and Wrexham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Crimes is 306 in 1997. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 8.1%.

1881 census count

248

Ranked #11,140

Modern count

268

2016, ranked #16,003

Peak year

1997

306 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Crimes had 248 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,140 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 268 in 2016, ranked #16,003.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 288 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Crimes surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Crimes surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Crimes 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 210 #10,030
1861 historical 197 #12,166
1881 historical 248 #11,140
1891 historical 225 #13,714
1901 historical 270 #12,492
1911 historical 288 #11,757
1997 modern 306 #13,353
1998 modern 304 #13,773
1999 modern 296 #14,081
2000 modern 272 #14,868
2001 modern 273 #14,614
2002 modern 281 #14,619
2003 modern 275 #14,652
2004 modern 285 #14,344
2005 modern 286 #14,242
2006 modern 285 #14,361
2007 modern 282 #14,618
2008 modern 276 #14,994
2009 modern 281 #15,098
2010 modern 284 #15,312
2011 modern 289 #14,974
2012 modern 285 #15,050
2013 modern 280 #15,530
2014 modern 278 #15,692
2015 modern 273 #15,789
2016 modern 268 #16,003

Geography

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Where Crimes' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Chester St Oswald, Little St John, Cathedral Church, St Peter, St Bridget, St Martin, Holy Trinity, Manchester, Tarvin (Tarvin), Priors Hay, Chester St John the Baptist, St Mary-on-the-Hill, St Olave, St Michael, Spittle Boughton, Chester Ca and Coppenhall. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester and Wrexham. 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 Chester St Oswald, Little St John, Cathedral Church, St Peter, St Bridget, St Martin, Holy Trinity Cheshire
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Tarvin (Tarvin), Priors Hay Cheshire
4 Chester St John the Baptist, St Mary-on-the-Hill, St Olave, St Michael, Spittle Boughton, Chester Ca Cheshire
5 Coppenhall Cheshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cheshire East 019 Cheshire East
2 Cheshire West and Chester 029 Cheshire West and Chester
3 Cheshire East 035 Cheshire East
4 Cheshire East 048 Cheshire East
5 Wrexham 011 Wrexham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Crimes

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Crimes

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Small Town Suburbia

Nationally, the Crimes surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Crimes 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 is predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Crimes 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

Crimes 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

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

Meaning and origin of Crimes

The surname CRIMES is of English origin, with its roots dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from the ancient village of Crymes in Lincolnshire, England. This village name is thought to have originated from the Old English word "crymman," meaning "to bend or curve," referring to the winding shape of the nearby river or road.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the CRIMES surname can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1275, where a certain William de Crymes is listed as a taxpayer. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region at that time.

In the 14th century, the CRIMES surname appeared in various medieval records, such as the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1279, which mentioned a John de Crimes. This indicates that the name had begun to spread beyond its original Lincolnshire roots.

During the 15th century, the CRIMES surname underwent several spelling variations, including Crymes, Crymmes, and Crymis, as evidenced by various historical documents from that era. Notable individuals bearing this name from this period include Robert Crymes, a merchant from York mentioned in the Freemen's Roll of 1478.

In the 16th century, the CRIMES surname continued to be associated with various parts of England, particularly in the counties of Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, and Norfolk. One notable figure from this time was John Crimes, a wealthy landowner from Norfolk, born in 1532.

As the centuries progressed, the CRIMES surname became more widely distributed across England and even beyond. In the 17th century, William Crimes, born in 1615 in Gloucestershire, was a renowned scholar and author of several theological works.

Moving into the 18th century, the CRIMES name gained further prominence with individuals like Sir Richard Crimes (1722-1798), a prominent English politician and member of Parliament for the borough of Nottingham.

The 19th century saw the CRIMES surname spread even further, with notable figures such as Charles Crimes (1856-1931), a successful businessman and philanthropist from London, and Mary Crimes (1879-1962), a pioneer in the field of nursing education.

Throughout its history, the CRIMES surname has maintained a strong presence in various regions of England, with individuals from this family making significant contributions across various fields, including politics, literature, business, and public service.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Crimes families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Crimes 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. Cheshire leads with 155 Crimes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.87x.

County Total Index
Cheshire 155 29.87x
Lancashire 55 1.97x
Staffordshire 12 1.51x
Middlesex 8 0.34x
Denbighshire 4 4.50x
Warwickshire 4 0.67x
Derbyshire 1 0.27x
Surrey 1 0.09x
Sussex 1 0.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tarvin Pryors Hayes in Cheshire leads with 22 Crimes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 3188.41x.

Place Total Index
Tarvin Pryors Hayes 22 3188.41x
Duddon Iddinshall 17 10625.00x
Hulme 13 22.32x
Salford 12 14.63x
Manchester 11 8.77x
Monks Coppenhall 10 51.07x
Plumbley 10 3448.28x
Tarvin 10 2941.18x
Chester St John Baptist 9 96.46x
Birkenhead 7 16.92x
Chester Holy Trinity 7 288.07x
Gawsworth 7 1489.36x
Limehouse London 7 27.12x
Runcorn 7 58.53x
Great Neston 6 350.88x
Harborne 6 23.59x
Allostock 5 1250.00x
Chester St Mary On Hill 5 112.36x
Audley 4 50.96x
Birmingham 4 2.02x
Hoole 4 204.08x
Lach Dennis 4 8000.00x
Llannefydd 4 563.38x
Macclesfield 4 17.34x
Openshaw 4 30.63x
Prescot 4 79.37x
Barrow 3 517.24x
Stockport 3 11.23x
Toxteth Park 3 3.18x
Cotton Edmunds 2 5000.00x
Kelsall 2 392.16x
Marthall Cum Warford 2 909.09x
Pickton 2 2222.22x
Royton 2 23.45x
Barnston 1 434.78x
Betley 1 151.52x
Bromborough 1 92.59x
Chester St Bridget 1 112.36x
Chester St Oswald 1 10.64x
Cotton Abbotts 1 10000.00x
Didsbury 1 27.03x
Hammersmith London 1 1.73x
Handsworth 1 5.11x
Heap 1 6.76x
Hove 1 5.75x
Hurdsfield 1 31.35x
Lambeth 1 0.49x
Mickleover 1 87.72x
Nether Alderley 1 217.39x
Newton 1 4.65x
Prestwich 1 14.37x
Warrington 1 3.02x
Withington 1 11.12x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 31
Sarah 15
Elizabeth 13
Ann 10
Martha 6
Eliza 5
Emma 4
Jane 4
Hannah 3
Margaret 3
Alice 2
Emily 2
Kate 2
Louisa 2
Abageil 1
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Alena 1
Amelia 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Cassy 1
Catherine 1
Eleanor 1
Esther 1
Frances 1
Harriet 1
Janet 1
Jessie 1
Lizzie 1
Lousia 1
Lydia 1
Maria 1
Matilda 1
Nancy 1
Ruth 1
Sophia 1
Susannah 1
Tabatha 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 19
Thomas 17
Joseph 15
John 13
George 9
Edward 6
James 6
Samuel 5
Charles 4
Arthur 3
Henry 3
Robert 3
Frederick 2
Auther 1
Elijah 1
Ellis 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Fredrick 1
Herbert 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Crimes surname: questions and answers

How common was the Crimes surname in 1881?

In 1881, 248 people were recorded with the Crimes surname. That placed it at #11,140 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Crimes surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 268 in 2016. That gives Crimes a modern rank of #16,003.

What does the Crimes surname mean?

A topographic surname potentially derived from a location name containing the French term "cresme" meaning cream or chalk.

What does the Crimes map show?

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