NameCensus.

UK surname

Croy

A Scottish locational surname derived from a place in Inverness-shire or from the French town of Crouy.

In the 1881 census there were 145 people recorded with the Croy surname, ranking it #15,838 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 260, ranked #16,349, down from #15,838 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kirkwall and St.Ola, Edinburgh and Westray and Papa Westray. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Kirkwall, West Mainland and Stromness, Sandwick and Stenness.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Croy is 260 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 79.3%.

1881 census count

145

Ranked #15,838

Modern count

260

2016, ranked #16,349

Peak year

2016

260 bearers

Map years

7

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Croy had 145 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,838 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 260 in 2016, ranked #16,349.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 199 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Croy surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Croy surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Croy 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 96 #17,594
1861 historical 131 #17,052
1881 historical 145 #15,838
1891 historical 184 #15,869
1901 historical 199 #15,173
1911 historical 20 #31,288
1997 modern 236 #15,852
1998 modern 246 #15,864
1999 modern 248 #15,884
2000 modern 243 #16,053
2001 modern 226 #16,620
2002 modern 227 #16,877
2003 modern 234 #16,343
2004 modern 236 #16,335
2005 modern 235 #16,335
2006 modern 238 #16,288
2007 modern 247 #16,042
2008 modern 239 #16,583
2009 modern 249 #16,466
2010 modern 255 #16,563
2011 modern 247 #16,783
2012 modern 254 #16,328
2013 modern 251 #16,734
2014 modern 254 #16,726
2015 modern 258 #16,443
2016 modern 260 #16,349

Geography

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Where Croys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kirkwall and St.Ola, Edinburgh, Westray and Papa Westray, Perth and Eday, Pharay and Stronsay. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Kirkwall, West Mainland, Stromness, Sandwick and Stenness, Niddrie and East Mainland. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Kirkwall and St.Ola Orkney
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Westray and Papa Westray Orkney
4 Perth Perth
5 Eday, Pharay and Stronsay Orkney

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Kirkwall Orkney Islands
2 West Mainland Orkney Islands
3 Stromness, Sandwick and Stenness Orkney Islands
4 Niddrie City of Edinburgh
5 East Mainland Orkney Islands

Forenames

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First names often paired with Croy

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Croy

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Croy surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Croy household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Croy is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Croy is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Croy falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Croy is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Croy

The surname Croy originated in Scotland during the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old French word "croi", meaning a small hill or hillock. This suggests that the name may have been a topographic name given to someone who lived near a small hill or rising ground.

The earliest known record of the name Croy dates back to the 13th century, when it appeared in the Ragman Rolls, a collection of homage rolls recording those who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England during his invasion of Scotland in 1296. One such entry mentions William de Croy, a landowner from East Lothian.

In the 14th century, the name Croy was also recorded in the nearby county of Midlothian, where a place called Croyhill or Croyhilltown existed. This place name likely originated from the same Old French root and may have been the original source of the surname.

One of the earliest notable figures with the surname Croy was Sir William de Croy, a Scottish knight who fought alongside King Robert the Bruce in the Wars of Scottish Independence in the early 14th century. He was rewarded with lands in East Lothian for his loyalty and bravery.

Another prominent individual was Sir John Croy, a Scottish diplomat and statesman who served as Lord High Treasurer of Scotland in the late 15th century under King James III. He was also appointed as the first Lord Croy in 1471, establishing a noble lineage for the family.

In the 16th century, Sir James Croy (1518-1590) was a distinguished scholar and author who wrote extensively on Scottish history and theology. He served as the rector of the University of St Andrews and was a notable figure in the Scottish Reformation.

During the 17th century, the Croy family maintained their status as landowners and gentry in East Lothian. One notable member was Sir Alexander Croy (1620-1693), who served as a member of the Scottish Parliament and was a supporter of the Royalist cause during the English Civil War.

The surname Croy also spread to other parts of Scotland, with records indicating individuals bearing the name in the Highlands and Aberdeenshire. In the 18th century, John Croy (1711-1782) was a prominent merchant and shipowner based in Aberdeen, contributing to the city's maritime trade.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Croy families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Croy 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. Orkney leads with 72 Croys recorded in 1881 and an index of 462.72x.

County Total Index
Orkney 72 462.72x
Stirlingshire 17 32.59x
Midlothian 12 6.33x
Fife 9 10.75x
Perthshire 8 12.60x
Clackmannanshire 7 59.93x
Dunbartonshire 6 15.79x
Lanarkshire 5 1.09x
Ross-shire 5 12.87x
Surrey 3 0.44x
East Lothian 1 5.34x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stronsay Eday in Orkney leads with 50 Croys recorded in 1881 and an index of 4901.96x.

Place Total Index
Stronsay Eday 50 4901.96x
Bothkennar 17 1089.74x
Lady 9 1956.52x
Perth West Church 8 265.78x
Alloa 7 123.67x
Leslie 7 330.19x
Bonhill 6 98.36x
Edinburgh Canongate 5 103.73x
Firth Stenness 5 746.27x
Logie Easter 5 1219.51x
Cross Burness N 4 493.83x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 4 5.25x
Kirkwall St Ola 4 171.67x
Barony 3 2.59x
Frensham 2 198.02x
Abdie 1 208.33x
Cupar 1 27.47x
Dunbar 1 38.02x
Edinburgh New 1 68.03x
Edinburgh St Georges 1 25.45x
Epsom 1 29.76x
Glasgow 1 1.23x
Maryhill 1 11.17x
North Leith 1 11.40x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Kate 1
Martha 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 1

Top occupations

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 Croy households.

Occupation Count
Ag Lab 1
Scholar 1
Servant 1

FAQ

Croy surname: questions and answers

How common was the Croy surname in 1881?

In 1881, 145 people were recorded with the Croy surname. That placed it at #15,838 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Croy surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 260 in 2016. That gives Croy a modern rank of #16,349.

What does the Croy surname mean?

A Scottish locational surname derived from a place in Inverness-shire or from the French town of Crouy.

What does the Croy map show?

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