NameCensus.

UK surname

Croston

A Habitational name denoting someone from a place called Croston in Lancashire.

In the 1881 census there were 569 people recorded with the Croston surname, ranking it #6,108 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 783, ranked #7,047, down from #6,108 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Toxteth Park, Wigan and Dean. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wigan and Fylde.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Croston is 864 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 37.6%.

1881 census count

569

Ranked #6,108

Modern count

783

2016, ranked #7,047

Peak year

1911

864 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Croston had 569 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,108 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 783 in 2016, ranked #7,047.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 864 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Croston surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Croston surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Croston 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 381 #6,272
1861 historical 337 #7,564
1881 historical 569 #6,108
1891 historical 633 #6,110
1901 historical 715 #6,177
1911 historical 864 #5,140
1997 modern 832 #6,342
1998 modern 810 #6,689
1999 modern 846 #6,508
2000 modern 849 #6,462
2001 modern 844 #6,373
2002 modern 833 #6,560
2003 modern 819 #6,526
2004 modern 821 #6,524
2005 modern 799 #6,620
2006 modern 808 #6,575
2007 modern 827 #6,511
2008 modern 820 #6,602
2009 modern 847 #6,582
2010 modern 860 #6,632
2011 modern 816 #6,829
2012 modern 779 #7,012
2013 modern 785 #7,077
2014 modern 806 #6,958
2015 modern 794 #6,980
2016 modern 783 #7,047

Geography

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Where Crostons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Toxteth Park, Wigan, Dean, Preston and Leigh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wigan and Fylde. 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 Toxteth Park Lancashire
2 Wigan Lancashire
3 Dean Lancashire
4 Preston Lancashire
5 Leigh Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wigan 024 Wigan
2 Wigan 014 Wigan
3 Wigan 009 Wigan
4 Wigan 013 Wigan
5 Fylde 005 Fylde

Forenames

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First names often paired with Croston

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Croston

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Croston, 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 Croston surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Croston 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Croston is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Croston is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Croston 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 Croston is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Croston, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Croston

The surname Croston originated in England, deriving from the Old English words "cros" meaning "cross" and "tun" meaning "town" or "settlement." The name initially referred to individuals who lived near a prominent cross or crossroads in a particular town or village.

Records indicate the earliest variations of the spelling included Croston, Crosston, Crosstowne, and Crostun. The name can be traced back to the 11th century, with mentions in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive record of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror.

In the 13th century, the Croston family held lands and properties in Lancashire, England, particularly in the area now known as Croston village. The parish church of St. Michael and All Angels in Croston dates back to the 12th century and may have served as a landmark associated with the family's name.

Notable historical figures with the surname Croston include John Croston (1632-1699), an English clergyman and author of the book "A View of Lancashire." Another prominent individual was Sir William Croston (1789-1867), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and later became a Member of Parliament.

In the 17th century, Robert Croston (1629-1674) was a Puritan minister and author in Massachusetts Bay Colony, demonstrating the early migration of the Croston name to the American colonies. Later, in the 19th century, Joseph Croston (1808-1887) was a prominent British architect responsible for designing several churches and public buildings in Lancashire.

The Croston surname has also been associated with notable figures in various fields, such as Samuel Croston (1795-1869), a British industrialist and philanthropist, and James Croston (1814-1882), a British historian and writer who authored several works on Lancashire history and folklore.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Croston families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Croston 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. Lancashire leads with 513 Crostons recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.80x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 513 7.80x
Cheshire 22 1.80x
Middlesex 11 0.20x
Angus 6 1.17x
Staffordshire 5 0.27x
Norfolk 3 0.35x
Oxfordshire 2 0.58x
Cumberland 1 0.21x
Northumberland 1 0.12x
Somerset 1 0.11x
Surrey 1 0.04x
Westmorland 1 0.82x
Yorkshire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Westhoughton in Lancashire leads with 42 Crostons recorded in 1881 and an index of 239.32x.

Place Total Index
Westhoughton 42 239.32x
Aspull 36 232.86x
Everton 28 13.36x
Manchester 24 8.12x
Preston 24 13.64x
Blackburn 23 13.15x
Blackrod 19 232.56x
Kirkdale 17 15.37x
Toxteth Park 16 7.19x
Atherton 15 62.68x
Aughton 14 215.05x
Croston 14 411.76x
Westleigh 14 93.77x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 13 68.67x
Little Bolton 12 14.20x
Ardwick 11 18.55x
Liverpool 11 2.75x
Adlington 10 162.34x
Bickerstaffe 10 232.56x
Chorley 9 24.40x
Pennington In Leigh 9 71.37x
Farnworth 8 20.31x
Burnley 7 12.64x
Eccleston In Prescot 7 21.21x
Newton 7 13.81x
Thornton In Fylde 7 48.68x
Dundee 6 3.13x
Openshaw 6 19.49x
St George Hanover Square 6 6.15x
Bootle Cum Linacre 5 9.58x
Hindley 5 17.84x
Lostock 5 337.84x
Maghull 5 183.15x
Spotland 5 6.84x
Stockport 5 7.94x
Stoke Upon Trent 5 2.52x
Sutton 5 22.68x
Tranmere 5 11.12x
Great Bolton 4 4.59x
Habergham Eaves 4 6.66x
Halliwell 4 16.72x
Haydock 4 35.30x
Pendlebury 4 28.82x
Pendleton In Salford 4 5.11x
Witton 4 48.37x
Worsley 4 9.87x
Blackley 3 26.02x
Hickling 3 191.08x
Hulme 3 2.19x
Islington London 3 0.56x
Liscard 3 13.61x
Lower Bebington 3 41.27x
Oswaldtwistle 3 12.91x
Prescot 3 25.23x
Upton In Chester 3 218.98x
Walton Le Dale 3 16.98x
West Derby 3 1.56x
Ambrosden 2 147.06x
Cheetham 2 4.08x
Fishwick 2 49.14x
Halsall 2 76.92x
Heaton Norris 2 5.34x
North Meols 2 3.11x
Wigan 2 2.18x
Birkenhead 1 1.03x
Bold 1 61.35x
Camberwell 1 0.28x
Cheadle 1 4.28x
Garston 1 5.15x
Hackney London 1 0.32x
Hedley Woodside 1 117.65x
Hunmanby 1 39.06x
Litherland 1 7.27x
Little Hulton 1 9.18x
Lydiate 1 48.78x
Mottram 1 18.05x
Netherton 1 136.99x
Oldham 1 0.47x
St Cuthbert Within 1 18.08x
Tonge With Haulgh 1 7.81x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 55
Elizabeth 26
Ellen 25
Alice 19
Ann 19
Margaret 19
Sarah 18
Jane 13
Hannah 8
Martha 7
Emma 5
Eliza 4
Esther 4
Agnes 3
Eleanor 3
Harriet 3
Isabella 3
Amelia 2
Betty 2
Catherine 2
Edith 2
Elizth. 2
Ester 2
Francis 2
Gertrude 2
Harriett 2
Julia 2
Lydia 2
Margt. 2
Nancy 2
Rachel 2
Ada 1
Alathia 1
Anna 1
Annie 1
Bertha 1
Bessy 1
Betsy 1
Clara 1
E.A. 1
Edward 1
Elizh. 1
Emily 1
Harriott 1
Jame 1
Janet 1
Josephine 1
Lavina 1
Louise 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 51
William 40
Thomas 26
James 25
Joseph 16
Richard 16
Henry 12
Edward 11
George 10
Robert 8
Charles 6
Arthur 3
Frederick 3
Edmond 2
Jno. 2
Lawrence 2
Orlando 2
Peter 2
Richd. 2
Albert 1
Charls 1
David 1
Edw. 1
Edwin 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fredk. 1
Isaiah 1
Jack 1
Jas.Wm. 1
Jezreel 1
Jos. 1
Luke 1
Nicholas 1
Patsy 1
Pierce 1
S.B. 1
Samuel 1
Thos. 1
Timothy 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Croston surname: questions and answers

How common was the Croston surname in 1881?

In 1881, 569 people were recorded with the Croston surname. That placed it at #6,108 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Croston surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 783 in 2016. That gives Croston a modern rank of #7,047.

What does the Croston surname mean?

A Habitational name denoting someone from a place called Croston in Lancashire.

What does the Croston map show?

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