NameCensus.

UK surname

Cruikshank

A Scottish surname derived from a place name referring to a crooked bank or river bank.

In the 1881 census there were 445 people recorded with the Cruikshank surname, ranking it #7,373 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 356, ranked #12,978, down from #7,373 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Cromdale, Inverallan and Advie and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hillside and Calton Hill, Tweeddale West Area and Liverpool.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cruikshank is 445 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 20.0%.

1881 census count

445

Ranked #7,373

Modern count

356

2016, ranked #12,978

Peak year

1881

445 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cruikshank had 445 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,373 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 356 in 2016, ranked #12,978.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 445 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Cruikshank surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cruikshank surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cruikshank 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 235 #9,206
1861 historical 155 #14,881
1881 historical 445 #7,373
1891 historical 380 #9,231
1901 historical 309 #11,418
1911 historical 142 #18,487
1997 modern 363 #11,849
1998 modern 382 #11,779
1999 modern 378 #11,935
2000 modern 376 #11,928
2001 modern 365 #12,014
2002 modern 371 #12,096
2003 modern 353 #12,345
2004 modern 350 #12,449
2005 modern 366 #11,964
2006 modern 356 #12,284
2007 modern 359 #12,356
2008 modern 354 #12,591
2009 modern 377 #12,269
2010 modern 388 #12,271
2011 modern 374 #12,464
2012 modern 353 #12,877
2013 modern 358 #12,952
2014 modern 354 #13,153
2015 modern 347 #13,252
2016 modern 356 #12,978

Geography

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Where Cruikshanks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Cromdale, Inverallan and Advie, London parishes, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hillside and Calton Hill, Tweeddale West Area, Liverpool, Babergh and Annandale East. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Cromdale, Inverallan and Advie Elgin
3 London parishes London 3
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hillside and Calton Hill City of Edinburgh
2 Tweeddale West Area Scottish Borders
3 Liverpool 035 Liverpool
4 Babergh 007 Babergh
5 Annandale East Dumfries and Galloway

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cruikshank

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cruikshank

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Cruikshank, 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 Cruikshank surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Cruikshank 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Cruikshank is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Cruikshank is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Cruikshank 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 Cruikshank 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 Cruikshank, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Cruikshank

The surname Cruikshank originated in Scotland and has been traced back to the 13th century. It is a locational name, derived from the Old Scots words "cruik" meaning "bent" and "schank" meaning "leg." This likely referred to a person living near a bend in a river or a crooked slope.

The earliest recorded example of this name is found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1291, where it appears as "Cruikshank." Other early spellings include Crukschank, Cruikshonk, and Crukshanks, reflecting the varying pronunciations at the time.

The name is also associated with the village of Cruikshank in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. This place name is believed to have influenced the surname's spelling and pronunciation over time.

In the 16th century, the Cruikshank family held lands in Aberdeenshire and played a role in local affairs. One notable member was Alexander Cruikshank, who served as the Provost of Aberdeen in the late 1500s.

During the Scottish Renaissance, the Cruikshank surname gained prominence through the work of Robert Cruikshank (1648-1733), a Scottish poet and philosopher. His writings explored themes of nature and the human condition, earning him a respected place in literary circles.

In the 18th century, the Cruikshank family produced several talented artists. Isaac Cruikshank (1756-1811) was a celebrated caricaturist and satirical illustrator, known for his political cartoons during the French Revolution. His son, George Cruikshank (1792-1878), followed in his footsteps and became one of the most influential illustrators of the Victorian era, renowned for his work in Charles Dickens' novels.

Another notable figure was Robert Cruikshank (1793-1856), a Scottish lawyer and judge who served as the Lord President of the Court of Session, Scotland's highest civil court.

The Cruikshank surname has also been carried by individuals in various fields, such as Alexander Cruikshank (1854-1935), a Scottish-American architect responsible for designing several iconic buildings in New York City, and George Cruikshank (1887-1976), a Scottish-American artist and illustrator known for his work in children's literature.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cruikshank families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cruikshank 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 77 Cruikshanks recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.07x.

County Total Index
Aberdeenshire 77 19.07x
Lancashire 71 1.37x
Middlesex 30 0.69x
Midlothian 29 4.96x
Lanarkshire 23 1.63x
Banffshire 21 23.22x
Kent 19 1.28x
Angus 18 4.46x
Perthshire 15 7.66x
Yorkshire 10 0.23x
Durham 9 0.69x
Westmorland 9 9.39x
Northumberland 8 1.23x
Ross-shire 8 6.68x
Sutherland 8 23.86x
Essex 7 0.81x
Gloucestershire 7 0.82x
Kincardineshire 7 13.18x
Warwickshire 7 0.64x
Hampshire 6 0.67x
Morayshire 6 8.86x
Roxburghshire 6 7.60x
Surrey 6 0.28x
Ayrshire 5 1.53x
Somerset 5 0.71x
Stirlingshire 5 3.11x
Nairnshire 4 30.05x
Inverness-shire 3 2.30x
Orkney 3 6.25x
Cumberland 2 0.53x
Dumfriesshire 2 2.08x
Royal Navy 2 3.85x
Sussex 2 0.27x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.38x
Cheshire 1 0.10x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.85x
Flintshire 1 0.85x
Glamorgan 1 0.13x
Leicestershire 1 0.21x
Oxfordshire 1 0.37x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 25 Cruikshanks recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.64x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 25 10.64x
Liverpool 25 7.96x
Govan 14 4.01x
Auchterless 13 404.98x
Perth Middle Church 12 163.04x
Rathen 12 283.69x
Aberdeen Old Machar 9 10.67x
Keith 9 93.36x
Canterbury St Mary 8 80.16x
Eddrachillis 8 350.88x
Kirkdale 8 9.19x
North Meols 8 15.79x
Throston 8 321.29x
Edderton 7 593.22x
Ellon 7 126.13x
Tynemouth 7 20.15x
West Derby 7 4.62x
Westbury On Trym 7 24.16x
Beckenham 6 30.85x
Birnie 6 1090.91x
Chorlton On Medlock 6 7.30x
Hawick 6 33.94x
Kenilworth 6 96.77x
Shap 6 284.36x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 5 6.62x
Barony 5 1.40x
Canterbury St Mary N 5 500.00x
Dundee 5 3.32x
Hackney London 5 2.05x
Huntly 5 76.10x
Kirkmichael 5 312.50x
Liff Benvie 5 8.15x
Manchester 5 2.15x
Pitsligo 5 129.53x
Slamannan 5 56.75x
Stair 5 359.71x
Aberlour 4 139.37x
Auldearn 4 206.19x
Belhelvie 4 144.93x
Camberwell 4 1.44x
Crewkerne 4 53.69x
Gorton 4 8.22x
Horsforth 4 42.24x
St Pancras London 4 1.14x
Banchory Devenick 3 60.48x
Boleskine Abertarff 3 138.89x
Brechin 3 18.89x
Chelsea London 3 2.28x
Ealing 3 7.70x
Glasgow 3 1.20x
Heversham With Milnthorpe 3 129.87x
Holdenhurst 3 12.80x
Leeds 3 1.23x
Little Dunkeld 3 90.36x
Meldrum 3 88.24x
Slains 3 159.57x
St Anne Soho London 3 12.05x
St Marylebone London 3 1.29x
Theydon Bois 3 229.01x
Tyrie 3 59.17x
Aldershot 2 6.68x
Closeburn 2 88.89x
Fetteresso 2 24.04x
Gamrie 2 19.80x
Hampstead London 2 2.95x
Harrow On The Hill 2 22.96x
Leyton Low 2 11.43x
Poulton With Fearnhead 2 180.18x
Royal Navy 2 4.50x
Sculcoates 2 2.92x
St Vigeans 2 9.17x
Stromness 2 55.56x
Towie 2 176.99x
Withington 2 12.00x
Drumblade 1 69.93x
Edinburgh St Georges 1 8.25x
Foveran 1 32.68x
Monifieth 1 7.01x
St George Hanover Square 1 1.30x
Strathmartine 1 55.87x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 15
Elizabeth 8
Margaret 6
Sarah 6
Jane 5
Alice 4
Ann 4
Emma 4
Jessie 4
Hannah 3
Annie 2
Charlotte 2
Elizth. 2
Ellen 2
Grace 2
Kate 2
Maria 2
Martha 2
Agnes 1
Alethia 1
Amy 1
Annabella 1
Augusta 1
Beatrice 1
Charl. 1
Clara 1
Constance 1
Elsie 1
Emily 1
Essy 1
Esther 1
Frances 1
Gertrude 1
Hanh. 1
Helen 1
Henretta 1
Janet 1
Janette 1
Lilian 1
Lilly 1
Lily 1
Lizzie 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Matilda 1
Maud 1
Miriam 1
Rob. 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 15
George 12
William 12
James 9
Robert 6
Alexander 4
David 3
Albert 2
Edwin 2
Henry 2
Joseph 2
Thomas 2
Wallace 2
Adam 1
Alfred 1
Augustus 1
Chas. 1
Edward 1
Edwd. 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Harry 1
Hugh 1
Jas. 1
Lincoln 1
Louis 1
Malcolm 1
Matthew 1
Michael 1
Norman 1
Peter 1
Richmond 1
Robt. 1
Samuel 1
Stafford 1
Victor 1
Willm. 1
Wm.Arthur 1

FAQ

Cruikshank surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cruikshank surname in 1881?

In 1881, 445 people were recorded with the Cruikshank surname. That placed it at #7,373 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cruikshank surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 356 in 2016. That gives Cruikshank a modern rank of #12,978.

What does the Cruikshank surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from a place name referring to a crooked bank or river bank.

What does the Cruikshank map show?

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