UK surname
A surname potentially denoting someone who made or used hooks or curved tools.
In the 1881 census there were 86 people recorded with the Crooker surname, ranking it #21,449 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 18, ranked #36,832, down from #21,449 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, St Mary and Dundry, Winford, Nempnett Thrubwell, Blagdon, Butcombe. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Crooker is 205 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 79.1%.
1881 census count
86
Ranked #21,449
Modern count
18
2016, ranked #36,832
Peak year
1861
205 bearers
Map years
3
1861 to 1901
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Crooker surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Crooker surname density by area, 1901 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 | 96 | #17,594 |
| 1861 | historical | 205 | #11,769 |
| 1881 | historical | 86 | #21,449 |
| 1891 | historical | 194 | #15,277 |
| 1901 | historical | 103 | #22,444 |
| 1911 | historical | 68 | #26,050 |
| 1997 | modern | 15 | #36,409 |
| 1998 | modern | 17 | #36,240 |
| 1999 | modern | 16 | #36,371 |
| 2000 | modern | 15 | #36,425 |
| 2001 | modern | 13 | #36,483 |
| 2002 | modern | 16 | #36,267 |
| 2003 | modern | 12 | #36,715 |
| 2004 | modern | 12 | #36,835 |
| 2005 | modern | 15 | #36,621 |
| 2006 | modern | 13 | #36,902 |
| 2007 | modern | 13 | #36,990 |
| 2008 | modern | 13 | #37,056 |
| 2009 | modern | 15 | #36,942 |
| 2010 | modern | 14 | #37,124 |
| 2011 | modern | 17 | #36,839 |
| 2012 | modern | 16 | #36,897 |
| 2013 | modern | 17 | #36,857 |
| 2014 | modern | 18 | #36,811 |
| 2015 | modern | 19 | #36,736 |
| 2016 | modern | 18 | #36,832 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, St Mary, Dundry, Winford, Nempnett Thrubwell, Blagdon, Butcombe, Llanhilleth and St Austell. 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 | Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff | Gloucestershire |
| 2 | St Mary | Pembrokeshire |
| 3 | Dundry, Winford, Nempnett Thrubwell, Blagdon, Butcombe | Somerset |
| 4 | Llanhilleth | Monmouthshire |
| 5 | St Austell | Cornwall |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Crooker 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 Crooker, 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 Crooker surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Crooker 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, Crooker 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 Crooker is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Crooker, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Crooker has its origins in England, likely emerging in the late medieval period or early modern era. It is believed to be an occupational name derived from the Old English word "crocor," which referred to a potter or maker of crocks, which were earthenware vessels used for storage.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Crooker can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex, England, dating back to 1524. These rolls were tax records that documented the names of individuals and their occupations. The appearance of the name Crooker in these rolls suggests that the family was associated with the pottery trade during that time.
In the 16th and 17th centuries, variations of the name, such as Crocker and Crookere, were also documented in various parish records throughout England. These variations likely emerged due to regional differences in spelling and pronunciation.
Notable individuals with the surname Crooker include John Crooker, a merchant from Somerset, England, who was born in the late 16th century and traded with the American colonies. Another early bearer of the name was William Crooker, who was born in Dorset, England, in the early 17th century and later immigrated to Massachusetts, where he became a prominent landowner and farmer.
In the 18th century, the name Crooker appeared in several historical documents, such as the marriage records of St. Bartholomew the Great in London, where a John Crooker was recorded as marrying Elizabeth Browne in 1732. Additionally, a Thomas Crooker was listed in the muster rolls of the British Army during the American Revolutionary War, serving as a soldier in the King's Royal Regiment of New York.
One of the earliest known bearers of the surname Crooker in America was Joseph Crooker, who was born in 1685 in Kittery, Maine. He was a farmer and landowner, and his descendants went on to establish themselves in various parts of New England.
As the name spread across England and later to the American colonies, it underwent various spelling variations, including Crocker, Crooker, Crukker, and Cruker, reflecting the regional differences in pronunciation and the lack of standardized spelling during those times.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Crooker 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. Devon leads with 19 Crookers recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.88x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Devon | 19 | 10.88x |
| Yorkshire | 11 | 1.32x |
| Berkshire | 9 | 14.29x |
| Somerset | 9 | 6.67x |
| Monmouthshire | 7 | 11.55x |
| Middlesex | 6 | 0.72x |
| Pembrokeshire | 6 | 22.51x |
| Lancashire | 5 | 0.50x |
| Derbyshire | 4 | 3.05x |
| Gloucestershire | 4 | 2.43x |
| Surrey | 2 | 0.49x |
| Warwickshire | 2 | 0.95x |
| Glamorgan | 1 | 0.68x |
| Hertfordshire | 1 | 1.73x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Newbury in Berkshire leads with 9 Crookers recorded in 1881 and an index of 445.54x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Newbury | 9 | 445.54x |
| Tormoham | 8 | 108.25x |
| Sheffield | 7 | 26.46x |
| Llanhilleth | 6 | 1500.00x |
| Hulme | 5 | 24.06x |
| Barrow Gurney | 4 | 4444.44x |
| Chesterfield | 4 | 81.30x |
| Eccleshill | 4 | 198.02x |
| Pembroke St Mary | 4 | 116.62x |
| Plymouth Charles The | 4 | 52.02x |
| Stokefleming | 4 | 1818.18x |
| Chagford | 3 | 714.29x |
| Aston | 2 | 3.43x |
| Backwell | 2 | 714.29x |
| Clifton | 2 | 24.04x |
| Fulham London | 2 | 16.45x |
| Hubberston | 2 | 512.82x |
| Nempnett Thrubwell | 2 | 3333.33x |
| Aspenden | 1 | 555.56x |
| Bedminster | 1 | 7.88x |
| Bedwellty | 1 | 9.34x |
| Bristol St James St Paul | 1 | 18.21x |
| Bristol St Mary Redcliff | 1 | 66.67x |
| Chelsea London | 1 | 3.96x |
| Islington London | 1 | 1.23x |
| Paddington London | 1 | 3.24x |
| Rotherhithe | 1 | 9.65x |
| St Marylebone London | 1 | 2.23x |
| Swansea St Thomas | 1 | 68.03x |
| Wandsworth | 1 | 12.39x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Crooker 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 Crooker 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 Crooker households.
FAQ
In 1881, 86 people were recorded with the Crooker surname. That placed it at #21,449 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 18 in 2016. That gives Crooker a modern rank of #36,832.
A surname potentially denoting someone who made or used hooks or curved tools.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Crooker 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.