NameCensus.

UK surname

Crowson

An English occupational surname derived from the Old English word "crawa," meaning crow, likely referring to a crow hunter.

In the 1881 census there were 648 people recorded with the Crowson surname, ranking it #5,507 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 811, ranked #6,830, down from #5,507 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Helpstone, Apethorpe, Yarwell, Nassington, Wood Newton, Southwick and Peterborough St John the Baptist. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Fenland, Peterborough and South Kesteven.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Crowson is 997 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 25.2%.

1881 census count

648

Ranked #5,507

Modern count

811

2016, ranked #6,830

Peak year

1911

997 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Crowson had 648 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,507 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 811 in 2016, ranked #6,830.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 997 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Crowson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Crowson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Crowson 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 379 #6,300
1861 historical 410 #6,264
1881 historical 648 #5,507
1891 historical 747 #5,333
1901 historical 915 #5,080
1911 historical 997 #4,555
1997 modern 923 #5,853
1998 modern 948 #5,913
1999 modern 950 #5,947
2000 modern 931 #6,027
2001 modern 912 #6,027
2002 modern 916 #6,123
2003 modern 893 #6,124
2004 modern 867 #6,261
2005 modern 858 #6,268
2006 modern 843 #6,363
2007 modern 842 #6,419
2008 modern 842 #6,476
2009 modern 867 #6,473
2010 modern 882 #6,500
2011 modern 858 #6,567
2012 modern 859 #6,472
2013 modern 836 #6,716
2014 modern 827 #6,797
2015 modern 821 #6,788
2016 modern 811 #6,830

Geography

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Where Crowsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Helpstone, Apethorpe, Yarwell, Nassington, Wood Newton, Southwick, Peterborough St John the Baptist, Ightham and Deeping St James, Deeping St Nicholas, Deeping Fen. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Fenland, Peterborough and South Kesteven. 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 Helpstone Northamptonshire
2 Apethorpe, Yarwell, Nassington, Wood Newton, Southwick Northamptonshire
3 Peterborough St John the Baptist Northamptonshire
4 Ightham Kent
5 Deeping St James, Deeping St Nicholas, Deeping Fen Lincolnshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Fenland 004 Fenland
2 Peterborough 004 Peterborough
3 South Kesteven 013 South Kesteven
4 Peterborough 007 Peterborough
5 Fenland 002 Fenland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Crowson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Crowson

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Crowson, 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 Crowson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Crowson 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Crowson is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Crowson is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Crowson falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Crowson

The surname Crowson has its origins in the northwest of England, particularly in the regions of Lancashire and Cumbria. It likely emerged during the late medieval period, between the 13th and 15th centuries. The name is derived from the Old English words "crou" meaning "crow" and "sun" meaning "son," effectively translating to "son of the crow."

This surname may have been initially bestowed as a descriptive nickname upon someone who bore a resemblance to a crow or perhaps had a crooked nose or dark complexion. Alternatively, it could have been an occupational name for someone who worked with or caught crows.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the Lancashire Pipe Rolls of 1332, which mention a "William Croueson." The Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1379 also reference a "Johannes Croweson."

While the Crowson surname does not appear in the Domesday Book, it is possible that its origins can be traced back to the time of the Norman Conquest in the 11th century, when many English surnames began to emerge and solidify.

In the 16th century, records show a John Crowson born in Kendal, Westmorland (now part of Cumbria) in 1542. Around the same time, a Richard Crowson was documented in Lancashire in 1587.

Moving into the 17th century, a notable figure was Robert Crowson, a Presbyterian minister born in Lancashire in 1609. He later became a Fellow of Brasenose College, Oxford, and authored several theological works.

Another early bearer of the surname was Richard Crowson, born in Kendal in 1634. He was a successful merchant and landowner in the region.

In the 18th century, records show a John Crowson (1712-1788) who served as the Mayor of Carlisle in Cumbria.

One of the most notable individuals with the Crowson surname was William Crowson (1789-1847), a prominent architect from Yorkshire. He designed several churches and public buildings in the Gothic Revival style, including St. George's Church in Leeds.

As the name spread across England and beyond, variations in spelling emerged, such as Crowsen, Crowsone, and Crowsonne. Some of these variants may have been influenced by local dialects or individual preferences.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Crowson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Crowson 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. Northamptonshire leads with 174 Crowsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.36x.

County Total Index
Northamptonshire 174 29.36x
Lincolnshire 133 13.20x
Rutland 62 134.00x
Kent 49 2.28x
Middlesex 43 0.68x
Yorkshire 36 0.58x
Leicestershire 29 4.15x
Warwickshire 19 1.20x
Cambridgeshire 18 4.51x
Nottinghamshire 13 1.53x
Huntingdonshire 12 9.59x
Surrey 12 0.39x
Durham 10 0.53x
Staffordshire 10 0.47x
Hampshire 6 0.46x
Lancashire 6 0.08x
Devon 5 0.38x
Ayrshire 2 0.42x
Hertfordshire 2 0.46x
Bedfordshire 1 0.31x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.26x
Derbyshire 1 0.10x
Midlothian 1 0.12x
Sussex 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Nassington in Northamptonshire leads with 36 Crowsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 2337.66x.

Place Total Index
Nassington 36 2337.66x
Helpstone 34 2222.22x
Peterborough 29 67.58x
Ightham 26 962.96x
Empingham 22 1235.96x
Glinton 20 2352.94x
Sheepshed 17 177.64x
Paston 13 515.87x
Ufford 13 3823.53x
Bethnal Green London 12 4.38x
Shoreditch London 12 4.39x
Duddington 11 1428.57x
Hampstead London 11 11.21x
Leeds 11 3.12x
Louth 11 47.64x
Birmingham 10 1.89x
Great Casterton 10 1428.57x
Ketton 10 414.94x
Langton By Wragby 10 1562.50x
Stamford All Sts 10 177.31x
Tinwell 10 2083.33x
Aston 9 2.06x
Boston Hall Hills 9 529.41x
Holywell Cum Needingworth 9 573.25x
Sevenoaks 9 51.64x
Deeping St James 8 224.72x
Horncastle 8 76.92x
Snodland 8 131.15x
Darlaston 7 23.81x
South Ormsby 7 1111.11x
Wisbech St Mary 7 152.84x
Deeping St Nicholas 6 203.39x
Newark Upon Trent 6 19.65x
Skidbrook 6 666.67x
Alford 5 80.13x
Brightside Bierlow 5 4.08x
Caldecott 5 781.25x
Darlington 5 6.91x
Exeter Heavitree 5 51.12x
Haughton Le Skerne 5 324.68x
Hulme 5 3.20x
Revesby 5 409.84x
Scamblesby 5 632.91x
Tetford 5 390.63x
Wakefield 5 10.43x
Whittlesey St Mary St 5 35.87x
Arnold 4 32.26x
Blatherwycke 4 1333.33x
Haugh 4 6666.67x
Lambeth 4 0.73x
Lewisham 4 3.49x
Newington 4 1.72x
Northwood 4 21.75x
Oakham Lordshold 4 82.64x
Reedness 4 373.83x
Thorpe On The Hill 4 645.16x
Wisbech St Peter 4 19.99x
Eye 3 106.01x
Ferry Fryston 3 123.46x
North Thoresby 3 185.19x
Stamford St John 3 220.59x
Theddlethorpe St Helen 3 337.08x
Tipton 3 4.61x
Waltham 3 187.50x
Bradford 2 1.32x
Clerkenwell London 2 1.34x
Desford 2 103.09x
Etton 2 666.67x
Fletton 2 50.00x
Hawton 2 322.58x
Heptonstall 2 22.83x
Humberstone 2 350.88x
Kingston On Thames 2 2.71x
Leicester St Margaret 2 1.17x
Maybole 2 13.93x
Rockingham 2 408.16x
Wittering 2 357.14x
Wymondham 2 140.85x
St Giles In Fields London 1 3.24x
Theddlethorpe All Sts 1 140.85x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 46
Elizabeth 31
Sarah 27
Emma 15
Annie 13
Jane 13
Harriet 11
Eliza 10
Alice 9
Ann 8
Louisa 8
Martha 8
Fanny 7
Charlotte 6
Ellen 6
Lucy 6
Ada 5
Emily 4
Harriett 4
Kate 4
Maria 4
Rebecca 4
Rose 4
Ruth 4
Caroline 3
Clara 3
Julia 3
Susan 3
Anne 2
Catherine 2
E. 2
Eleanor 2
Florence 2
Gertrude 2
Lizzie 2
Adelaide 1
Allice 1
Bessy 1
Catharine 1
Clarrissa 1
Edith 1
Ethel 1
Flora 1
Hester 1
Jemima 1
Jessie 1
Jimima 1
Lavinia 1
Lily 1
Thirsa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 52
William 48
Thomas 24
George 22
James 17
Joseph 16
Charles 13
Alfred 10
Frederick 8
Henry 7
Arthur 6
Harry 6
Samuel 6
Ernest 5
Walter 5
Albert 4
David 4
Edward 4
Herbert 4
Robert 4
Aaron 3
Elijah 3
Fred 3
Benjamin 2
Daniel 2
Edwin 2
Isaac 2
Matthias 2
Wm. 2
Amos 1
Charly 1
Chas. 1
Dan 1
Eli 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Frederic 1
Glen 1
Henery 1
Isacc 1
Jabez 1
Jos.Will 1
Josiah 1
Leve 1
Luer 1
P.Wm. 1
Parker 1
Philip 1
Rhuban 1
Richard 1

FAQ

Crowson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Crowson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 648 people were recorded with the Crowson surname. That placed it at #5,507 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Crowson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 811 in 2016. That gives Crowson a modern rank of #6,830.

What does the Crowson surname mean?

An English occupational surname derived from the Old English word "crawa," meaning crow, likely referring to a crow hunter.

What does the Crowson map show?

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