NameCensus.

UK surname

Crofton

A habitational name referring to someone from Crofton, a place name derived from Old English meaning "small farm or cultivated piece of land".

In the 1881 census there were 337 people recorded with the Crofton surname, ranking it #8,981 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 314, ranked #14,291, down from #8,981 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cheltenham, Cliftonville and Richmondshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Crofton is 361 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 6.8%.

1881 census count

337

Ranked #8,981

Modern count

314

2016, ranked #14,291

Peak year

2000

361 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Crofton had 337 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,981 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 314 in 2016, ranked #14,291.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 349 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Crofton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Crofton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Crofton 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 191 #10,808
1861 historical 243 #10,116
1881 historical 337 #8,981
1891 historical 349 #9,857
1901 historical 336 #10,762
1911 historical 329 #10,688
1997 modern 310 #13,241
1998 modern 327 #13,126
1999 modern 353 #12,522
2000 modern 361 #12,288
2001 modern 346 #12,478
2002 modern 351 #12,583
2003 modern 348 #12,452
2004 modern 329 #13,027
2005 modern 320 #13,243
2006 modern 333 #12,941
2007 modern 334 #13,036
2008 modern 328 #13,319
2009 modern 332 #13,458
2010 modern 342 #13,440
2011 modern 321 #13,940
2012 modern 319 #13,898
2013 modern 313 #14,299
2014 modern 314 #14,371
2015 modern 309 #14,430
2016 modern 314 #14,291

Geography

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Where Croftons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes, Gateshead and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cheltenham, Cliftonville, Richmondshire, North Lincolnshire and Ashford. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Gateshead Durham
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cheltenham 009 Cheltenham
2 Cliftonville North Lanarkshire
3 Richmondshire 005 Richmondshire
4 North Lincolnshire 001 North Lincolnshire
5 Ashford 010 Ashford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Crofton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Crofton

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Crofton surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Crofton 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Crofton 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

Crofton is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Crofton

The surname Crofton originated in England, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 13th century. It is a locational name, derived from the place name Crofton, which is found in various parts of England, including Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Shropshire. The name is believed to have been derived from the Old English words "croft," meaning a small enclosed field or meadow, and "tun," meaning a village or settlement.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Crofton can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which were a census-like record of landowners and their holdings in England. The entry mentions a person named Richard de Crofton, who was a landowner in the village of Crofton, near Wakefield in Yorkshire.

In the 14th century, the name Crofton appears in various historical documents, including the Pipe Rolls of 1330, which recorded tax payments. These records mention individuals with the surname Crofton residing in different parts of England, such as Yorkshire, Staffordshire, and Shropshire.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Crofton family became prominent in the counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire. One notable figure was Sir John Crofton (1575-1644), who was a wealthy landowner and Member of Parliament for Lancashire during the reign of King Charles I.

Another famous bearer of the Crofton surname was Zachary Crofton (1625-1672), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works, including a treatise titled "The Reasonable Christian."

In the 18th century, the name Crofton gained further prominence with individuals such as Andrew Crofton (1724-1786), a British soldier and colonial administrator who served as the Governor of Grenada from 1770 to 1779.

One of the most renowned figures with the Crofton surname was Walter Crofton (1815-1895), an Irish-born Australian politician and journalist. He served as a member of the Legislative Council of New South Wales and was a strong advocate for democratic reforms in Australia.

The Crofton family also had connections to various place names throughout England, such as Crofton Manor in Worcestershire, Crofton Hall in Yorkshire, and Crofton Green in Lancashire. These place names were often derived from or associated with the Crofton surname, reflecting the family's historical ties to specific locations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Crofton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Crofton 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. Durham leads with 92 Croftons recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.32x.

County Total Index
Durham 92 9.32x
Lancashire 53 1.35x
Middlesex 36 1.09x
Yorkshire 30 0.91x
Kent 19 1.68x
Hampshire 14 2.06x
Devon 12 1.74x
Northumberland 12 2.43x
Worcestershire 11 2.54x
Surrey 10 0.62x
Cheshire 9 1.23x
Gloucestershire 5 0.77x
Shropshire 5 1.75x
Lanarkshire 4 0.37x
Cambridgeshire 3 1.43x
Sussex 3 0.54x
Angus 2 0.65x
Berkshire 2 0.80x
East Lothian 2 4.55x
Hertfordshire 2 0.87x
Midlothian 2 0.45x
Oxfordshire 2 0.98x
Somerset 2 0.37x
Channel Islands 1 1.02x
Cumberland 1 0.35x
Dorset 1 0.46x
Essex 1 0.15x
Royal Navy 1 2.53x
Staffordshire 1 0.09x
Suffolk 1 0.25x
Warwickshire 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stockton On Tees in Durham leads with 16 Croftons recorded in 1881 and an index of 33.64x.

Place Total Index
Stockton On Tees 16 33.64x
Bishopwearmouth 14 16.53x
Chorlton On Medlock 10 15.99x
Heworth 10 51.44x
Leeds 10 5.39x
Paddington London 10 8.20x
Brandon Byshottles 9 72.82x
Manchester 9 5.09x
Elswick 8 20.31x
Exeter Heavitree 8 155.34x
Liverpool 8 3.35x
Thornley 8 224.09x
Westoe 8 14.30x
Newbottle 7 129.87x
Plumstead 7 18.56x
Powick 7 233.33x
Portsea 6 4.50x
Bache 5 16666.67x
Chester Le Street 5 65.96x
Islington London 5 1.56x
Shrewsbury St Mary 5 44.21x
St Anne Soho London 5 26.40x
Wakefield 5 19.82x
Wavertree 5 39.68x
Woolwich 5 11.96x
Cambusnethan 4 16.79x
Great Malvern 4 44.25x
Houghton Le Spring 4 58.65x
Kensington London 4 2.17x
Pendlebury 4 48.13x
St Faith Winchester 4 126.18x
Broughton In Salford 3 8.34x
Calverley Cum Farsley 3 32.15x
Clifton 3 9.12x
Gateshead 3 4.06x
Greenwich 3 5.68x
Jesmond 3 43.23x
Kyo 3 64.66x
March 3 42.67x
Putney 3 19.84x
St Thomas Winchester 3 62.50x
Tollerton 3 517.24x
Warrington 3 6.43x
Ardwick 2 5.63x
Dunbar 2 32.47x
East Teignmouth 2 70.92x
Edinburgh St Stephens 2 22.86x
Hackney London 2 1.08x
Hampton London 2 36.70x
Hove 2 8.15x
Hulme 2 2.43x
Kimblesworth 2 151.52x
Kirkdale 2 3.02x
Oxford St Giles 2 20.47x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 2 23.75x
Richmond 2 8.83x
Salford 2 1.73x
St George Bloomsbury 2 10.51x
St Marylebone London 2 1.13x
Stockport 2 5.31x
Blackburn 1 0.96x
Bramfield 1 344.83x
Canterbury St Augustine 1 243.90x
Castle Church 1 14.86x
Clapham 1 2.41x
Clerkenwell London 1 1.28x
Dundee 1 0.87x
Ecclesfield 1 4.15x
Frome 1 7.83x
Great Amwell 1 43.67x
Honiton 1 26.18x
Liff Benvie 1 2.14x
Linthwaite 1 14.47x
Newton Valence 1 243.90x
Portland 1 8.55x
Royal Navy 1 2.96x
Ryton 1 28.82x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 1.50x
Sutton 1 8.55x
West Ham 1 0.69x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 24
John 17
William 11
George 10
Henry 10
Charles 9
James 6
Robert 6
Edward 5
Richard 4
Frederick 3
Hugh 3
Walter 3
Arthur 2
Fredk. 2
Joseph 2
Peter 2
Stephen 2
Willm. 2
Wm. 2
Addison 1
Albert 1
Arther 1
Auther 1
Christopher 1
Cuthbert 1
Duke 1
E. 1
Ernest 1
Geo.J. 1
Hannah 1
Harry 1
Isaac 1
Leonard 1
Morgan 1
Moyan 1
Prosser 1
Samuel 1

FAQ

Crofton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Crofton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 337 people were recorded with the Crofton surname. That placed it at #8,981 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Crofton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 314 in 2016. That gives Crofton a modern rank of #14,291.

What does the Crofton surname mean?

A habitational name referring to someone from Crofton, a place name derived from Old English meaning "small farm or cultivated piece of land".

What does the Crofton map show?

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