NameCensus.

UK surname

Crossman

An occupational surname referring to a crossbow maker or archer.

In the 1881 census there were 977 people recorded with the Crossman surname, ranking it #3,981 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,590, ranked #3,906, up from #3,981 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wiltshire, Copeland and South Somerset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Crossman is 1,656 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 62.7%.

1881 census count

977

Ranked #3,981

Modern count

1,590

2016, ranked #3,906

Peak year

1999

1,656 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Crossman had 977 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,981 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,590 in 2016, ranked #3,906.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,430 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Crossman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Crossman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Crossman 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 674 #3,852
1861 historical 552 #4,768
1881 historical 977 #3,981
1891 historical 996 #4,166
1901 historical 1,355 #3,703
1911 historical 1,430 #3,381
1997 modern 1,542 #3,818
1998 modern 1,651 #3,731
1999 modern 1,656 #3,749
2000 modern 1,613 #3,821
2001 modern 1,591 #3,798
2002 modern 1,614 #3,821
2003 modern 1,576 #3,824
2004 modern 1,595 #3,797
2005 modern 1,570 #3,796
2006 modern 1,574 #3,782
2007 modern 1,595 #3,780
2008 modern 1,572 #3,848
2009 modern 1,598 #3,883
2010 modern 1,649 #3,856
2011 modern 1,627 #3,862
2012 modern 1,606 #3,835
2013 modern 1,605 #3,903
2014 modern 1,617 #3,905
2015 modern 1,599 #3,903
2016 modern 1,590 #3,906

Geography

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Where Crossmans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, St Pancras and Huish Episcopi. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wiltshire, Copeland, South Somerset, Waveney and Mendip. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Huish Episcopi Somerset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wiltshire 047 Wiltshire
2 Copeland 008 Copeland
3 South Somerset 004 South Somerset
4 Waveney 012 Waveney
5 Mendip 012 Mendip

Forenames

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First names often paired with Crossman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Crossman

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

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Crossman surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Crossman 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Crossman is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Crossman is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Crossman falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Crossman

The surname Crossman originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "cros" meaning "cross" and "man" meaning "person". The name likely referred to someone who lived near a cross, which was a common landmark in towns and villages.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Crossman dates back to 1273 in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire. This document lists a Thomas Crosman, indicating the surname's early spelling variations. Another early reference is found in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296, mentioning a John Crosseman.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various records across England. The Lay Subsidy Rolls of Warwickshire from 1332 documented a William Crosseman, while the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk from 1381 listed a John Crossman. These entries suggest the name's presence in different regions during this period.

The Crossman surname is also linked to several place names in England. For instance, there is a village called Crossman in Dorset, which may have influenced the surname's origins or spelling variations.

One notable figure with the surname Crossman was Sir William Crossman, who lived in the 16th century. He was a prominent lawyer and Member of Parliament for Colchester in 1553. Another individual of note was Robert Crossman, born in 1584, who was a renowned Anglican clergyman and author.

In the 17th century, the Crossman name appeared in various parish records. William Crossman, born in 1612 in Taunton, Somerset, was a respected merchant and landowner. Samuel Crossman, born in 1623 in Wiltshire, was a renowned English poet and preacher.

During the 18th century, the name continued to be documented in various regions of England. John Crossman, born in 1745 in Gloucestershire, was a notable clockmaker and inventor. Thomas Crossman, born in 1778 in Yorkshire, was a celebrated artist known for his landscape paintings.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Crossman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Crossman 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. Somerset leads with 256 Crossmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.52x.

County Total Index
Somerset 256 16.52x
Devon 200 9.98x
Middlesex 97 1.01x
Cornwall 72 6.61x
Gloucestershire 42 2.22x
Lancashire 36 0.32x
Durham 35 1.22x
Northumberland 27 1.88x
Cumberland 23 2.77x
Surrey 22 0.47x
Essex 20 1.05x
Hampshire 19 0.96x
Suffolk 19 1.62x
Glamorgan 17 1.01x
Kent 16 0.49x
Yorkshire 15 0.16x
Northamptonshire 13 1.44x
Staffordshire 12 0.37x
Berkshire 6 0.83x
Channel Islands 6 2.10x
Buckinghamshire 5 0.86x
Monmouthshire 5 0.72x
Carmarthenshire 4 0.99x
Lincolnshire 3 0.19x
Royal Navy 3 2.61x
Warwickshire 3 0.12x
Stirlingshire 2 0.56x
Angus 1 0.11x
Cheshire 1 0.05x
Hertfordshire 1 0.15x
Lanarkshire 1 0.03x
Leicestershire 1 0.09x
Midlothian 1 0.08x
Renfrewshire 1 0.13x
Sussex 1 0.06x
Wiltshire 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. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 32 Crossmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.13x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 32 4.13x
Huish Episcopi 26 1181.82x
Walton 25 1412.43x
Millom 23 90.55x
Curry Mallet 21 1304.35x
Bedminster 19 13.05x
Bridgewater 19 45.16x
Stoke Damerel 18 12.83x
Oldham 16 4.34x
Tavistock 16 70.08x
Buckland Monachorum 14 327.10x
High Ham 14 379.40x
Plymouth St Andrew 13 8.42x
Weston Super Mare 13 33.22x
Bideford 12 55.89x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 11 6.19x
Calstock 11 51.45x
Chilton Polden 11 948.28x
Esh 11 52.76x
West Derby 11 3.29x
Antony 10 94.97x
Islington London 10 1.07x
St Marylebone London 10 1.95x
Berwick Upon Tweed 9 29.65x
Bishops Nympton 9 235.60x
Lifton 9 186.72x
Northampton St Peter 9 163.64x
Winterbourne 9 86.29x
Bruton 8 131.15x
Colchester St Giles 8 42.60x
Lamesley 8 51.88x
Luxulyan 8 220.39x
Pakenham 8 253.16x
Tormoham 8 9.43x
Acton 7 12.40x
Barton Under Needwood 7 118.64x
Botus Fleming 7 985.92x
Bristol St George 7 8.02x
Chirton 7 21.59x
Compton Dundon 7 370.37x
Lambeth 7 0.83x
Morval 7 313.90x
Shoreditch London 7 1.68x
Street 7 83.53x
Ystradyfodwg 7 4.76x
Ancroft 6 119.05x
Frome 6 16.19x
Gillingham 6 8.86x
Hinton Blewett 6 833.33x
Liversedge 6 14.13x
Molland 6 363.64x
Morchard Bishop 6 143.54x
North Curry 6 113.85x
North Perrott 6 560.75x
Southampton St Mary 6 4.83x
St Bartholomew Hyde 6 127.12x
Bristol St James In 5 18.01x
Camberwell 5 0.81x
Cogan 5 200.80x
East Stonehouse 5 12.66x
Exeter St Sidwell 5 10.89x
Kensington London 5 0.93x
Llanvihangel Crucorney 5 340.14x
Marske In Guisbrough 5 29.52x
North Molton 5 127.88x
Sampford Spiney 5 370.37x
St Austell 5 13.42x
St Germans 5 65.79x
St Luke London 5 3.24x
St Peter 5 60.75x
Tynemouth 5 6.52x
Walsall Foreign 5 2.98x
Wolborough 5 19.74x
Wookey 5 146.63x
Yatton 5 82.92x
Clifton 4 4.19x
Hackney London 4 0.74x
Hinton St George 4 178.57x
Plymouth Charles The 4 4.53x
St Budeaux 4 64.10x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 71
John 60
James 30
Charles 26
George 24
Henry 22
Joseph 19
Thomas 18
Edward 14
Robert 14
Walter 12
Frederick 11
Arthur 10
Richard 10
Albert 8
Francis 8
Edwin 7
Alfred 6
Frank 5
Ernest 4
Alexander 3
Herbert 3
Samuel 3
Tom 3
Augustus 2
Benjamin 2
Cornelius 2
Fredk. 2
Harry 2
Isaac 2
Jonathan 2
Josiah 2
Percy 2
Ruben 2
Sydney 2
Wm.Hy. 2
Anthony 1
Archibald 1
Burnett 1
Charley 1
Clifford 1
Elijah 1
Ely 1
F. 1
Francies 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Jonnes 1
Laurrence 1
Luther 1

FAQ

Crossman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Crossman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 977 people were recorded with the Crossman surname. That placed it at #3,981 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Crossman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,590 in 2016. That gives Crossman a modern rank of #3,906.

What does the Crossman surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a crossbow maker or archer.

What does the Crossman map show?

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