UK surname
A surname derived from the Old English word "croc," meaning a small pot or pitcher.
In the 1881 census there were 52 people recorded with the Crock surname, ranking it #26,281 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 45, ranked #35,162, down from #26,281 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Lewes St John-under-the-Castle and Kilsby. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Crock is 309 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 13.5%.
1881 census count
52
Ranked #26,281
Modern count
45
2016, ranked #35,162
Peak year
1861
309 bearers
Map years
2
1851 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Crock surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Crock surname density by area, 1861 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 105 | #16,618 |
| 1861 | historical | 309 | #8,207 |
| 1881 | historical | 52 | #26,281 |
| 1891 | historical | 83 | #26,376 |
| 1901 | historical | 63 | #27,134 |
| 1911 | historical | 74 | #25,423 |
| 1997 | modern | 51 | #32,545 |
| 1998 | modern | 45 | #33,374 |
| 1999 | modern | 47 | #33,320 |
| 2000 | modern | 42 | #33,791 |
| 2001 | modern | 40 | #33,842 |
| 2002 | modern | 38 | #34,307 |
| 2003 | modern | 38 | #34,361 |
| 2004 | modern | 41 | #34,306 |
| 2005 | modern | 40 | #34,562 |
| 2006 | modern | 39 | #34,932 |
| 2007 | modern | 39 | #35,097 |
| 2008 | modern | 42 | #34,994 |
| 2009 | modern | 45 | #34,972 |
| 2010 | modern | 43 | #35,233 |
| 2011 | modern | 46 | #35,047 |
| 2012 | modern | 46 | #35,053 |
| 2013 | modern | 48 | #35,012 |
| 2014 | modern | 48 | #35,041 |
| 2015 | modern | 46 | #35,109 |
| 2016 | modern | 45 | #35,162 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Lewes St John-under-the-Castle, Kilsby, Merthyr Dovan, Highlight and Harling, East. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wolverhampton | Staffordshire |
| 2 | Lewes St John-under-the-Castle | Sussex |
| 3 | Kilsby | Warwickshire |
| 4 | Merthyr Dovan, Highlight | Glamorganshire |
| 5 | Harling, East | Norfolk |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Crock surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Crock, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Crock surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Crock household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Crock is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Crock is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Crock, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Crock is derived from the Olde English word "crocca", which means an earthenware pot or vessel. It is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the regions of Lancashire and Yorkshire, sometime around the 13th century.
The earliest recorded instance of the surname Crock can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Yorkshire, dated 1273, which mentions a Richard le Crokker. This spelling variation suggests that the name was likely occupational in origin, referring to someone who made or sold earthenware pots or crocks.
During the Middle Ages, the name Crock appeared in various records and documents, such as the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire in 1327, which listed a William Crok, and the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in 1348, where a John Crok was mentioned.
In the 16th century, the surname Crock was also found in other regions of England, including the Parish Registers of Lincolnshire, where a Thomas Crocke was recorded in 1558, and the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire, which listed a Richard Crocke in 1576.
One notable person with the surname Crock was Sir John Croke (1552-1620), an English judge and Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He served as a justice of the King's Bench and is renowned for his legal reports, known as "Croke's Reports".
Another prominent figure was William Croke (c. 1590-1657), an English Puritan clergyman and author, known for his works on practical divinity and sermons. He served as the rector of St. Mary Aldermanbury in London.
In the 18th century, the surname Crock was also found in Ireland, with records indicating the presence of a family with this name in County Tipperary. One notable individual was Sir Michael Croke (1736-1810), an Irish judge and politician who served as the Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench in Ireland.
The name Crock has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Crockenhill in Kent, which was recorded as "Crockenhyll" in the 13th century, and Crockerton in Wiltshire, which was mentioned as "Crochertone" in the Domesday Book of 1086.
Other notable individuals with the surname Crock include James Crock (1824-1892), an English-born Australian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Council of Western Australia, and William Crock (1876-1954), an English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Crock surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 8 Crocks recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.61x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | 8 | 1.61x |
| Surrey | 6 | 2.48x |
| Durham | 5 | 3.38x |
| Sussex | 5 | 5.96x |
| Worcestershire | 5 | 7.70x |
| Staffordshire | 4 | 2.38x |
| Fife | 3 | 10.19x |
| Lancashire | 3 | 0.51x |
| Northamptonshire | 3 | 6.41x |
| Devon | 2 | 1.93x |
| Lincolnshire | 2 | 2.52x |
| Buckinghamshire | 1 | 3.33x |
| Glamorgan | 1 | 1.16x |
| Kent | 1 | 0.59x |
| Lanarkshire | 1 | 0.62x |
| Wiltshire | 1 | 2.27x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hasbury in Worcestershire leads with 5 Crocks recorded in 1881 and an index of 1190.48x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Hasbury | 5 | 1190.48x |
| Lewes St John Southover | 5 | 892.86x |
| South Shields | 5 | 378.79x |
| Paddington London | 4 | 21.88x |
| Wandsworth | 4 | 83.51x |
| Wolverhampton | 4 | 30.98x |
| Clerkenwell London | 3 | 25.55x |
| Kilsby | 3 | 3000.00x |
| Witton | 3 | 405.41x |
| Burntisland | 2 | 243.90x |
| Burton Upon Stather | 2 | 2000.00x |
| Camberwell | 1 | 3.15x |
| Compton | 1 | 1428.57x |
| Deptford St Paul | 1 | 7.65x |
| Ealing | 1 | 22.52x |
| Govan | 1 | 2.51x |
| Largo | 1 | 263.16x |
| Modbury | 1 | 384.62x |
| Newington | 1 | 5.44x |
| Princes Risborough | 1 | 250.00x |
| Salisbury St Edmund | 1 | 140.85x |
| Swansea Town | 1 | 14.08x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Crock surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Crock surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Crock households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 6 |
| Artificial Florist | 2 |
| Ag Lab | 1 |
| Builder | 1 |
| Button Brusher | 1 |
| Button Fty Sewer On | 1 |
| Button Stainer | 1 |
| Charwoman | 1 |
| Domestic Ser | 1 |
| Farm Laborer | 1 |
| Farmers Boy | 1 |
| General Laborer | 1 |
| General Labourer | 1 |
| General Servant | 1 |
| Genl Labourer | 1 |
| Hobbler | 1 |
| Housemaid | 1 |
| Labourer | 1 |
| Lacemaker | 1 |
| Liconed Hawker | 1 |
| Pastry Cook | 1 |
| Servant Domestic | 1 |
| Solicitors Clerk | 1 |
| Stone Mason | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 52 people were recorded with the Crock surname. That placed it at #26,281 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 45 in 2016. That gives Crock a modern rank of #35,162.
A surname derived from the Old English word "croc," meaning a small pot or pitcher.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Crock bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.