NameCensus.

UK surname

Crossley

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near a crossroads or an intersection of paths.

In the 1881 census there were 8,227 people recorded with the Crossley surname, ranking it #511 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 7,677, ranked #867, down from #511 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Halifax and Bradford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Calderdale and Burnley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Crossley is 10,284 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 6.7%.

1881 census count

8,227

Ranked #511

Modern count

7,677

2016, ranked #867

Peak year

1911

10,284 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Crossley had 8,227 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #511 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 7,677 in 2016, ranked #867.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 10,284 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Crossley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Crossley surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Crossley 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 4,818 #577
1861 historical 4,123 #675
1881 historical 8,227 #511
1891 historical 8,391 #525
1901 historical 9,496 #552
1911 historical 10,284 #478
1997 modern 8,010 #798
1998 modern 8,196 #815
1999 modern 8,271 #812
2000 modern 8,310 #803
2001 modern 8,134 #802
2002 modern 8,090 #824
2003 modern 7,930 #817
2004 modern 7,881 #823
2005 modern 7,711 #830
2006 modern 7,712 #832
2007 modern 7,733 #835
2008 modern 7,730 #844
2009 modern 7,873 #853
2010 modern 7,953 #865
2011 modern 7,892 #857
2012 modern 7,704 #856
2013 modern 7,818 #861
2014 modern 7,824 #863
2015 modern 7,694 #869
2016 modern 7,677 #867

Geography

Back to top

Where Crossleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Halifax, Bradford and Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Calderdale and Burnley. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Rochdale Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Calderdale 013 Calderdale
2 Calderdale 027 Calderdale
3 Calderdale 025 Calderdale
4 Calderdale 007 Calderdale
5 Burnley 014 Burnley

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Crossley

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Crossley

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Crossley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Crossley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Crossley 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

Crossley is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Crossley falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Crossley

The surname Crossley has its origins in England and is thought to date back to the 12th century. It is believed to be a locational name derived from the town of Crossley, now known as Crosley, near Huddersfield in West Yorkshire. The name is thought to come from the Old English words "cros" meaning cross and "leah" meaning a woodland clearing, referring to a cross or crucifix situated in a forest clearing.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379, where a John de Croslegh is listed. The name is also found in various other medieval records, including the Subsidy Rolls of Lancashire in 1523 which mentions a Henry Crosseley. The variant spellings Crosseley, Crosseley, and Crossly were also common in these early records.

The name Crossley is associated with several notable historical figures. One of the earliest was William Crossley (1572-1642), an English clergyman and Puritan minister who served as the rector of St. Mary's Church in Aldermanbury, London. Another was Sir Francis Crossley (1579-1636), an English politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1637.

In the 18th century, the Crossley family became prominent industrialists in the textile industry in Yorkshire. John Crossley (1742-1837) founded a successful carpet manufacturing business in Halifax, and his sons, John (1766-1837) and Thomas (1768-1858), expanded the business further. The family's wealth and influence grew, and they became major employers and landowners in the region.

Notable Crossleys in more recent history include Martha Crossley (1874-1963), an English writer and activist for women's rights, and Sir Vivian Crossley (1904-1995), a British businessman and politician who served as a Conservative Member of Parliament for Stretford from 1935 to 1945.

The Crossley name has also been associated with several place names, including Crossley Hall in Huddersfield, which was built by the Crossley family in the 19th century, and Crossley Bridge, a village in West Yorkshire named after the family's textile mills in the area.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Crossley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Crossley 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. Yorkshire leads with 3,640 Crossleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.58x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 3,640 4.58x
Lancashire 3,414 3.59x
Middlesex 173 0.22x
Cheshire 115 0.65x
Surrey 104 0.27x
Warwickshire 78 0.39x
Derbyshire 74 0.59x
Durham 63 0.26x
Westmorland 60 3.40x
Staffordshire 47 0.17x
Leicestershire 42 0.47x
Nottinghamshire 41 0.38x
Kent 36 0.13x
Lanarkshire 36 0.14x
Essex 31 0.20x
Bedfordshire 27 0.65x
Glamorgan 20 0.14x
Suffolk 18 0.18x
Dunbartonshire 17 0.79x
Ayrshire 15 0.25x
Gloucestershire 14 0.09x
Hampshire 14 0.09x
Lincolnshire 13 0.10x
Renfrewshire 12 0.19x
Devon 11 0.07x
Cumberland 10 0.14x
Sussex 9 0.07x
Channel Islands 8 0.34x
Hertfordshire 7 0.13x
Northumberland 7 0.06x
Flintshire 6 0.28x
Caernarfonshire 5 0.15x
Midlothian 5 0.05x
Norfolk 5 0.04x
Royal Navy 5 0.52x
Berkshire 4 0.07x
Cambridgeshire 4 0.08x
Oxfordshire 4 0.08x
Denbighshire 3 0.10x
Dorset 3 0.06x
Northamptonshire 3 0.04x
Somerset 3 0.02x
Huntingdonshire 2 0.13x
Monmouthshire 2 0.03x
Shropshire 2 0.03x
Worcestershire 2 0.02x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.01x
Angus 1 0.01x
Fife 1 0.02x
Isle of Man 1 0.07x
Merionethshire 1 0.07x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.05x
Roxburghshire 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Halifax in Yorkshire leads with 370 Crossleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 31.71x.

Place Total Index
Halifax 370 31.71x
Oldham 242 7.88x
Todmorden Walsden 202 79.23x
Spotland 200 18.90x
Elland Cum Greetland 174 48.60x
Wuerdle Wardle 169 58.50x
Blatchinworth 152 70.15x
Skircoat 145 46.27x
Castleton 130 13.68x
Habergham Eaves 128 14.72x
Manchester 114 2.66x
Leeds 107 2.38x
Burnley 102 12.73x
Blackburn 98 3.87x
Sowerby In Halifax 98 37.71x
Stansfield 97 33.17x
Bury 95 8.74x
Keighley 84 9.92x
Northowram 81 14.54x
Cliviger 77 143.71x
Ashton Under Lyne 76 3.65x
Hipperholme Cum 75 21.48x
Preston 74 2.91x
Heap 72 14.27x
Worsley 72 12.27x
Langfield 71 51.06x
Newchurch 67 8.61x
Wardleworth 66 12.14x
Huddersfield 65 5.61x
Bradford 62 3.22x
Warley 60 26.12x
Bowling 59 7.50x
Hunslet 58 4.68x
Lofthouse Cum Carlton 58 59.89x
Pilkington 57 15.77x
Ovenden 56 15.83x
Oswaldtwistle 55 16.36x
Chadderton 54 11.61x
Horton In Bradford 54 4.35x
Wadsworth 48 37.11x
Gomersal 47 12.67x
Almondbury 46 11.97x
Pendleton In Salford 44 3.88x
Sheffield 44 1.74x
Thornton In Bradford 44 16.63x
Wombwell 43 18.56x
Dewsbury 42 5.15x
Manningham 42 4.29x
Southowram 41 16.90x
Chorlton On Medlock 40 2.65x
Midgley 40 47.23x
Butterworth 37 15.96x
Barnsley 36 4.39x
Liversedge 36 10.18x
South Elmshall 36 248.79x
Little Bolton 35 2.86x
Mirfield 35 8.02x
Camberwell 33 0.64x
Thornhill 33 14.23x
Stainland Cum Old 32 23.53x
Allerton 31 30.61x
Kendal 31 9.61x
Crompton 30 11.07x
Cheetham 29 4.09x
Great Little Marsden 29 6.65x
Broughton In Salford 28 3.22x
Holbeck 28 5.32x
Royton 28 9.62x
Brightside Bierlow 27 1.73x
Lambeth 27 0.39x
Lockwood 27 9.44x
Thurlstone 27 34.45x
Glusburn 26 57.93x
Rastrick 26 11.78x
Wakefield 25 4.10x
Shipley 24 5.82x
Soothill 24 8.36x
Bradfield 23 7.51x
Great Bolton 23 1.82x
Rishworth 23 75.41x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 651
Sarah 447
Elizabeth 302
Hannah 167
Alice 164
Martha 162
Ann 159
Jane 132
Ellen 126
Annie 101
Emma 100
Margaret 80
Emily 77
Ada 74
Eliza 70
Betty 55
Clara 52
Harriet 47
Edith 41
Maria 38
Grace 36
Ruth 34
Nancy 32
Susannah 32
Louisa 31
Agnes 28
Betsy 27
Esther 27
Frances 27
Florence 24
Lucy 24
Anne 23
Charlotte 22
Susan 22
Amy 21
Rebecca 21
Elizth. 19
Fanny 19
Catherine 18
Isabella 18
Harriett 17
Sophia 17
Caroline 16
Kate 16
Bertha 15
Ethel 13
Matilda 12
Rachel 12
Amelia 11
Gertrude 11

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 574
William 387
James 330
Thomas 236
Joseph 198
George 155
Charles 112
Henry 103
Frank 88
Robert 88
Samuel 84
Fred 62
Arthur 60
Edward 56
Alfred 53
Walter 53
Abraham 47
David 46
Harry 46
Herbert 42
Albert 41
Richard 41
Ernest 29
Tom 28
Sam 27
Frederick 24
Joe 24
Francis 23
Edwin 22
Wm. 22
Thos. 21
Edmund 19
Benjamin 17
Jonas 16
Eli 15
Lewis 14
Joshua 13
Peter 11
Isaac 10
Ben 9
Daniel 9
Jeremiah 9
Oliver 9
Saml. 9
Willie 9
Ellis 8
Matthew 8
Ralph 8
Edgar 7
Robt. 7

FAQ

Crossley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Crossley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 8,227 people were recorded with the Crossley surname. That placed it at #511 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Crossley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 7,677 in 2016. That gives Crossley a modern rank of #867.

What does the Crossley surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near a crossroads or an intersection of paths.

What does the Crossley map show?

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