NameCensus.

UK surname

Croall

A Scottish surname derived from a place name referring to a winding stream or bend in a river.

In the 1881 census there were 191 people recorded with the Croall surname, ranking it #13,224 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 317, ranked #14,198, down from #13,224 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Arbroath and St. Vigeans, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Chirnside and Area, Blackhill and Barmulloch East and Montrose South.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Croall is 323 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 66.0%.

1881 census count

191

Ranked #13,224

Modern count

317

2016, ranked #14,198

Peak year

2013

323 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Croall had 191 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,224 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 317 in 2016, ranked #14,198.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 276 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Croall surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Croall surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Croall 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 125 #14,700
1861 historical 153 #15,032
1881 historical 191 #13,224
1891 historical 250 #12,762
1901 historical 276 #12,315
1911 historical 77 #25,106
1997 modern 291 #13,792
1998 modern 314 #13,483
1999 modern 319 #13,420
2000 modern 314 #13,516
2001 modern 317 #13,228
2002 modern 315 #13,561
2003 modern 292 #14,065
2004 modern 295 #14,025
2005 modern 292 #14,072
2006 modern 299 #13,949
2007 modern 310 #13,730
2008 modern 300 #14,135
2009 modern 312 #14,040
2010 modern 322 #14,034
2011 modern 311 #14,260
2012 modern 307 #14,288
2013 modern 323 #14,003
2014 modern 312 #14,430
2015 modern 314 #14,275
2016 modern 317 #14,198

Geography

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Where Croalls are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Arbroath and St. Vigeans, Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Old Monkland. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Chirnside and Area, Blackhill and Barmulloch East, Montrose South, Arbroath Keptie and East Clober and Mains Estate. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Arbroath and St. Vigeans Forfar
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Old Monkland Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Chirnside and Area Scottish Borders
2 Blackhill and Barmulloch East Glasgow City
3 Montrose South Angus
4 Arbroath Keptie Angus
5 East Clober and Mains Estate East Dunbartonshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Croall

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Croall

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Croall surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Croall household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Croall is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Croall is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Croall falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Croall 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 Croall, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Croall

The surname Croall has its roots in Scotland, with the earliest known records dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have originated from the Scottish Gaelic word "croil," meaning "crook" or "bend," possibly referring to a person who lived near a winding river or crooked path.

One of the earliest documented references to the name Croall can be found in the Scottish Parish Records of Perth and Kinross, where a John Croall was mentioned in 1592. In the same region, there are records of a David Croall in the late 16th century, indicating the family's presence in central Scotland during that time.

The name Croall appears to have strong ties to the county of Perthshire, particularly in the areas around the town of Crieff. Several historical records from the 17th and 18th centuries mention Croalls residing in this region, suggesting it may have been a place of origin or early settlement for the family.

In the 19th century, the name gained more prominence with the birth of William Croall (1814-1899), a Scottish publisher and bookseller based in Edinburgh. His publishing house, W. Croall & Son, was responsible for printing several notable works, including Sir Walter Scott's novels and poetry.

Another significant figure bearing the Croall surname was John Croall (1850-1925), a Scottish artist and illustrator known for his etchings and paintings of rural Scottish landscapes. His works were exhibited at the Royal Scottish Academy and other prestigious venues during his lifetime.

In the field of science, Robert Croall (1874-1948), a Scottish biologist and lecturer at the University of Edinburgh, made notable contributions to the study of plant physiology and the structure of plant cells.

Moving to the 20th century, James Croall (1911-1998) was a British politician who served as a Labour Member of Parliament for the Renfrewshire West constituency from 1950 to 1970.

While the surname Croall has Scottish origins, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and immigration. However, its earliest documented roots and historical references remain firmly rooted in the Scottish highlands and lowlands.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Croall families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Croall 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. Midlothian leads with 49 Croalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.43x.

County Total Index
Midlothian 49 19.43x
Angus 37 21.22x
Lanarkshire 34 5.58x
Lancashire 15 0.67x
Dunbartonshire 14 27.67x
Kincardineshire 9 39.27x
Roxburghshire 9 26.39x
Cumberland 8 4.94x
Middlesex 7 0.37x
Stirlingshire 5 7.20x
Fife 1 0.90x
Isle of Man 1 2.86x
Perthshire 1 1.18x
Renfrewshire 1 0.69x
Royal Navy 1 4.46x
Yorkshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Glasgow in Lanarkshire leads with 19 Croalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.57x.

Place Total Index
Glasgow 19 17.57x
Montrose 14 132.45x
North Leith 13 111.40x
Everton 12 16.85x
Cramond 9 471.20x
Dumbarton 9 127.84x
Kelso 9 264.71x
Arbroath 8 138.41x
Keswick 8 386.47x
Forfar 7 74.15x
Liberton 6 154.24x
Shettleston 6 110.09x
Carnwath 5 132.98x
Craig 5 297.62x
Edinburgh New North 5 228.31x
New Kilpatrick 5 103.95x
Stirling 5 57.14x
Bervie 4 294.12x
Edinburgh St Marys 4 81.63x
Edinburgh St Stephens 4 80.65x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 3 2.96x
Marykirk 3 315.79x
Dalkeith 2 40.16x
Edinburgh St Johns 2 125.79x
Glenbervie 2 317.46x
Hackney London 2 1.90x
Mile End Old Town London 2 4.99x
Old Monkland 2 8.28x
Ratcliffe London 2 19.23x
Barrow In Furness 1 3.29x
Edinburgh St Georges 1 19.12x
Forgan 1 46.95x
Gorbals 1 27.70x
Govan 1 0.66x
Kinnel 1 222.22x
Liverpool 1 0.74x
Logie 1 33.00x
Logie Pert 1 156.25x
Onchan 1 9.93x
Paisley High Church 1 8.61x
Royal Navy 1 5.21x
Sedburgh 1 128.21x
St Andrew Holborn London 1 12.27x
Tannadice 1 123.46x
West Derby 1 1.53x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ann 2
Jessie 2
Annie 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Helen 1
Jane 1
Lucinda 1
Margaret 1
Margt.C. 1
Margt.M. 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 5
Alexander 3
Andrew 2
David 2
James 2
Robert 2
William 2
Alex. 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Croall households.

FAQ

Croall surname: questions and answers

How common was the Croall surname in 1881?

In 1881, 191 people were recorded with the Croall surname. That placed it at #13,224 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Croall surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 317 in 2016. That gives Croall a modern rank of #14,198.

What does the Croall surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from a place name referring to a winding stream or bend in a river.

What does the Croall map show?

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