NameCensus.

UK surname

Kraft

An occupational surname for a person who worked as a skilled worker, craftsman, or artisan.

In the 1881 census there were 56 people recorded with the Kraft surname, ranking it #25,733 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 174, ranked #21,466, up from #25,733 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Manchester and Nottingham St Mary. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ross and Cromarty Central, Salford and St Albans.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kraft is 178 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 210.7%.

1881 census count

56

Ranked #25,733

Modern count

174

2016, ranked #21,466

Peak year

2013

178 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kraft had 56 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #25,733 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 174 in 2016, ranked #21,466.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 155 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Kraft surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kraft surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kraft 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 11 #31,309
1861 historical 27 #30,543
1881 historical 56 #25,733
1891 historical 72 #27,804
1901 historical 107 #21,955
1911 historical 155 #17,485
1997 modern 131 #22,927
1998 modern 136 #23,013
1999 modern 158 #21,102
2000 modern 158 #21,055
2001 modern 148 #21,664
2002 modern 156 #21,348
2003 modern 141 #22,549
2004 modern 131 #23,756
2005 modern 130 #23,848
2006 modern 131 #23,942
2007 modern 135 #23,824
2008 modern 140 #23,511
2009 modern 142 #23,791
2010 modern 152 #23,282
2011 modern 150 #23,309
2012 modern 162 #22,078
2013 modern 178 #21,108
2014 modern 177 #21,340
2015 modern 175 #21,372
2016 modern 174 #21,466

Geography

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Where Krafts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Manchester, Nottingham St Mary and Wakefield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ross and Cromarty Central, Salford, St Albans, Scarborough and Camden. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire
5 Wakefield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ross and Cromarty Central Highland
2 Salford 023 Salford
3 St Albans 008 St Albans
4 Scarborough 013 Scarborough
5 Camden 016 Camden

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kraft

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kraft

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Kraft surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Kraft 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Kraft 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

Kraft 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

Kraft falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Kraft 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 - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Kraft

The surname KRAFT has its origins in Germany, where it first emerged in the 12th century. The name is derived from the German word "kraft," which means "strength" or "power." It was likely adopted as a descriptive nickname for someone who possessed great physical or mental fortitude.

In its earliest recorded instances, the name appeared in various medieval manuscripts and records across central and southern Germany. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Heinrich Kraft, a landowner and knight who lived in the region of Swabia in the late 13th century.

The KRAFT name gained prominence in the 14th and 15th centuries, particularly in the cities of Nuremberg and Augsburg, where several notable families bearing the name emerged. Johann Kraft, a merchant and banker in Nuremberg (1390-1457), was one of the wealthiest and most influential citizens of his time.

As the name spread throughout Germany and neighboring regions, it also evolved into various spellings and regional variations, such as Krafft, Crafft, and Krafft. One notable bearer of the name was the German Renaissance artist and printmaker Albrecht Dürer, whose mother's maiden name was Kraft (1471-1528).

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the KRAFT name continued to be well-represented among German craftsmen, artisans, and tradesmen. Johann Georg Kraft, a renowned organ builder from Saxony (1697-1753), was responsible for constructing several important church organs in Germany and neighboring countries.

As Germans migrated to other parts of Europe and eventually to the Americas, the KRAFT name traveled with them. In the United States, one of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Johann Caspar Kraft, a German immigrant who settled in Pennsylvania in the early 18th century.

Throughout its history, the KRAFT surname has been borne by numerous notable individuals, including the German philosopher and writer Max Kraft (1857-1937), the German physicist Wolfgang Kraft (1912-1997), and the American entrepreneur James L. Kraft (1874-1953), who founded the Kraft Foods Company.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kraft families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kraft 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. Yorkshire leads with 15 Krafts recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.77x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 15 2.77x
Lancashire 10 1.54x
Essex 8 7.42x
Middlesex 6 1.10x
Durham 5 3.08x
Nottinghamshire 4 5.43x
Cumberland 3 6.38x
Surrey 2 0.75x
Fife 1 3.09x
Glamorgan 1 1.05x
Warwickshire 1 0.73x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wakefield in Yorkshire leads with 9 Krafts recorded in 1881 and an index of 216.87x.

Place Total Index
Wakefield 9 216.87x
West Ham 8 33.61x
Bishopwearmouth 5 35.87x
Holy Trinity 5 38.43x
Nottingham St Mary 4 21.01x
St George Hanover Square 4 41.58x
West Derby 4 21.10x
Blackley 3 263.16x
Workington 3 111.52x
Camberwell 2 5.73x
Liverpool 2 5.08x
Aston 1 2.64x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 19.42x
Cardiff St Mary 1 19.08x
St Andrews 1 68.03x
Thorne 1 149.25x
Westminster St James 1 17.83x
Whitechapel London 1 18.59x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Emma 3
Amelia 2
Mary 2
Ann 1
Anna 1
Caroline 1
Clara 1
Dorothea 1
Eliza 1
Elizabeth 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Harriet 1
Helena 1
Louisa 1
Magaretha 1
Margaretha 1
Martha 1
Rosalie 1
S.F. 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 6
Charles 5
Phillip 3
Franz 2
Chales 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
George 1
Henry 1
Leonhardt 1
Max 1
Paul 1
Philip 1
Robert 1
William 1
Willie 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 Kraft households.

FAQ

Kraft surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kraft surname in 1881?

In 1881, 56 people were recorded with the Kraft surname. That placed it at #25,733 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kraft surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 174 in 2016. That gives Kraft a modern rank of #21,466.

What does the Kraft surname mean?

An occupational surname for a person who worked as a skilled worker, craftsman, or artisan.

What does the Kraft map show?

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