NameCensus.

UK surname

Cruden

A Scottish surname derived from the name of a parish in Aberdeenshire.

In the 1881 census there were 357 people recorded with the Cruden surname, ranking it #8,652 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 476, ranked #10,360, down from #8,652 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Old Deer, Govan Combination and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rosehearty and Strathbeg, Inverness West Rural and Dyce.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cruden is 508 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 33.3%.

1881 census count

357

Ranked #8,652

Modern count

476

2016, ranked #10,360

Peak year

1999

508 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cruden had 357 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,652 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 476 in 2016, ranked #10,360.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 446 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Cruden surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cruden surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Cruden 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 198 #10,483
1861 historical 229 #10,660
1881 historical 357 #8,652
1891 historical 389 #9,085
1901 historical 446 #8,767
1911 historical 73 #25,541
1997 modern 484 #9,531
1998 modern 506 #9,501
1999 modern 508 #9,535
2000 modern 482 #9,901
2001 modern 479 #9,767
2002 modern 490 #9,771
2003 modern 454 #10,222
2004 modern 460 #10,120
2005 modern 459 #10,053
2006 modern 461 #10,054
2007 modern 470 #10,012
2008 modern 482 #9,913
2009 modern 481 #10,148
2010 modern 488 #10,243
2011 modern 503 #9,908
2012 modern 465 #10,422
2013 modern 471 #10,464
2014 modern 478 #10,428
2015 modern 475 #10,396
2016 modern 476 #10,360

Geography

Back to top

Where Crudens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Old Deer, Govan Combination, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Fraserburgh and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rosehearty and Strathbeg, Inverness West Rural, Dyce, Fraserburgh Smiddyhill and Gardenstown and King Edward. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Old Deer Aberdeen
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
4 Fraserburgh Aberdeen
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rosehearty and Strathbeg Aberdeenshire
2 Inverness West Rural Highland
3 Dyce Aberdeen City
4 Fraserburgh Smiddyhill Aberdeenshire
5 Gardenstown and King Edward Aberdeenshire

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Cruden

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Cruden

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Cruden surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Cruden household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Cruden 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

Cruden 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

Cruden 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 Cruden is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Cruden

The surname Cruden is of Scottish origin, deriving from the lands of Cruden in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The name is thought to be derived from the Gaelic word 'cruaidh', meaning 'hard' or 'difficult', referring to the rugged and challenging terrain of the area.

The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the 13th century, with mentions in various Scottish charters and records. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was William de Cruden, who was a witness to a charter granted by Alexander III, King of Scots, in 1273.

In the 16th century, the Crudens were a prominent family in Aberdeenshire, with several members serving as lairds and landowners in the region. One notable figure from this era was Alexander Cruden, a schoolmaster and biblical scholar born in 1701. He is best known for his work, "A Complete Concordance to the Holy Scriptures," published in 1737, which became a widely used reference work for biblical studies.

Another notable bearer of the name was John Cruden, born in 1760, who was a Scottish poet and author. He published several works, including "The Traveller's Companion" and "The Village Curate," which explored themes of rural life and the Scottish countryside.

In the 19th century, the Cruden name continued to be associated with Scotland, particularly in Aberdeen and the surrounding areas. One prominent figure from this period was William Cruden, born in 1828, who was a successful businessman and philanthropist. He made significant contributions to the development of Aberdeen, including the establishment of several public parks and gardens.

Other notable individuals with the surname Cruden include Alexander Cruden, born in 1846, who was a renowned Scottish architect and designer of several iconic buildings in Aberdeen, including the Music Hall and the Aberdeen Art Gallery.

Overall, the surname Cruden has a rich history rooted in the Scottish Highlands and has been associated with individuals from various professions, including scholars, writers, businessmen, and architects, contributing to the cultural and intellectual heritage of Scotland.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Cruden families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cruden 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. Aberdeenshire leads with 188 Crudens recorded in 1881 and an index of 58.29x.

County Total Index
Aberdeenshire 188 58.29x
Renfrewshire 33 12.23x
Lanarkshire 32 2.84x
Angus 23 7.13x
Banffshire 20 27.69x
Perthshire 10 6.40x
Fife 8 3.88x
Lancashire 7 0.17x
Northumberland 7 1.35x
Middlesex 6 0.17x
Devon 4 0.55x
Caithness 3 6.29x
Kent 3 0.25x
Midlothian 3 0.64x
Hampshire 2 0.28x
Orkney 2 5.22x
Surrey 2 0.12x
Herefordshire 1 0.70x
Morayshire 1 1.85x
Stirlingshire 1 0.78x
Sussex 1 0.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Fraserburgh in Aberdeenshire leads with 25 Crudens recorded in 1881 and an index of 275.33x.

Place Total Index
Fraserburgh 25 275.33x
Peterhead 25 146.63x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 18 29.83x
Turriff 17 326.30x
Cruden 16 385.54x
Govan 14 5.03x
Old Deer 14 229.13x
Aberdeen Old Machar 12 17.82x
Pitsligo 12 389.61x
Barony 10 3.51x
Dundee 10 8.30x
Inverkip 10 157.23x
Banff 9 143.54x
Tyrie 9 222.22x
Aberdour 8 314.96x
Chapel Of Garioch 8 349.35x
Gamrie 8 99.26x
Inverkeillor 8 400.00x
Longside 8 207.79x
Bury 7 14.83x
Berwick Upon Tweed 6 54.64x
Glasgow 6 3.00x
Abbey 5 12.14x
Cathcart 5 34.25x
Liff Benvie 5 10.21x
New Deer 5 85.62x
Paisley Middle Church 5 31.83x
Rattray 5 137.36x
Dull 4 127.80x
Dunino 4 1111.11x
Plymouth St Andrew 4 7.16x
Stoke Newington London 4 14.75x
West Greenock 4 8.26x
Canisbay 3 95.85x
Leslie 3 57.47x
Lonmay 3 102.39x
Paisley Low Church 3 35.13x
Battersea 2 1.56x
Belhelvie 2 90.50x
Chelsea London 2 1.91x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 2 1.07x
King Edward 2 53.76x
Milton In Gravesend 2 11.22x
Mortlach 2 56.66x
Walls Flotta 2 111.73x
Alford 1 56.82x
Boxgrove 1 117.65x
Boyndie 1 41.84x
Cambusnethan 1 4.00x
Carmichael 1 107.53x
Cheriton 1 20.66x
Crondall 1 26.11x
Edinburgh Tolbooth 1 36.76x
Ellon 1 22.52x
Falkirk 1 3.33x
Forgue 1 34.48x
Forres 1 17.57x
Hexham 1 12.47x
Kilbarchan 1 12.20x
Leominster 1 16.92x
Portsea 1 0.71x
Rathen 1 29.59x
St Andrews 1 10.66x
Tibbermore 1 44.64x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 2
Margt 2
Annie 1
Catherine 1
Eliza 1
Hannah 1
Henrietta 1
Isabella 1
Jane 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
Maria 1
Marieanne 1
Mary 1
Rosina 1
Sara 1

Top male names

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

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 Cruden households.

FAQ

Cruden surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cruden surname in 1881?

In 1881, 357 people were recorded with the Cruden surname. That placed it at #8,652 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cruden surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 476 in 2016. That gives Cruden a modern rank of #10,360.

What does the Cruden surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from the name of a parish in Aberdeenshire.

What does the Cruden map show?

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