NameCensus.

UK surname

Kruger

An occupational surname referring to an innkeeper or tavern owner, derived from the Middle High German word "kruoc" meaning jug or pitcher.

In the 1881 census there were 108 people recorded with the Kruger surname, ranking it #18,888 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 648, ranked #8,200, up from #18,888 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Toxteth Park and Liverpool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Northamptonshire, Wealden and Sutherland South.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kruger is 695 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 500.0%.

1881 census count

108

Ranked #18,888

Modern count

648

2016, ranked #8,200

Peak year

2010

695 bearers

Map years

6

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kruger had 108 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,888 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 648 in 2016, ranked #8,200.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 201 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Kruger surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kruger surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kruger 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 16 #30,441
1861 historical 20 #31,364
1881 historical 108 #18,888
1891 historical 51 #30,158
1901 historical 201 #15,059
1911 historical 150 #17,866
1997 modern 391 #11,196
1998 modern 435 #10,678
1999 modern 454 #10,380
2000 modern 468 #10,125
2001 modern 464 #10,002
2002 modern 473 #10,043
2003 modern 519 #9,248
2004 modern 535 #9,041
2005 modern 535 #8,983
2006 modern 578 #8,521
2007 modern 598 #8,375
2008 modern 619 #8,210
2009 modern 645 #8,129
2010 modern 695 #7,823
2011 modern 659 #8,073
2012 modern 662 #7,949
2013 modern 666 #8,058
2014 modern 658 #8,175
2015 modern 649 #8,210
2016 modern 648 #8,200

Geography

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Where Krugers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Toxteth Park, Liverpool and Bradford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Northamptonshire, Wealden, Sutherland South, Merton and Tower Hamlets. 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 Toxteth Park Lancashire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Northamptonshire 002 East Northamptonshire
2 Wealden 001 Wealden
3 Sutherland South Highland
4 Merton 010 Merton
5 Tower Hamlets 028 Tower Hamlets

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kruger

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kruger

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Kruger, 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 Kruger surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Kruger 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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Kruger is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Kruger 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

Kruger 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 Kruger is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Kruger

The surname Kruger has its origins in the Low German region of northern Germany and the Netherlands. It is derived from the Middle Low German word "kruger," which means "tavern keeper" or "innkeeper." This occupational surname suggests that the first bearers of this name were individuals who operated inns or taverns.

The name Kruger can be traced back to the 13th century in various historical records from the region. One of the earliest known references to the surname is found in the municipal records of Lübeck, a prominent Hanseatic city in northern Germany, where a certain Hinrich Kruger was mentioned in 1289.

During the Middle Ages, the surname Kruger appeared in various spellings, such as Krüger, Krüger, and Krüger, reflecting the regional variations in the Low German language. These variations were often influenced by local dialects and scribal practices.

In the 16th century, the surname Kruger gained prominence with the rise of the Kruger family, a influential merchant dynasty in the city of Lübeck. Notable members of this family include Hinrich Kruger (1515-1587), a wealthy merchant and city councilor, and Jurgen Kruger (1545-1612), a prominent Lübeck mayor.

Another notable figure bearing the surname Kruger was Paul Kruger (1825-1904), a leading Afrikaner military leader and statesman who served as the President of the South African Republic (Transvaal) from 1883 to 1900. He played a pivotal role in the Second Boer War against the British Empire.

In the Netherlands, the surname Kruger has been associated with several notable individuals, including Jacobus Cornelis Kruger (1837-1909), a Dutch jurist and statesman who served as the Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 1897 to 1901.

Other prominent individuals with the surname Kruger include Franz Kruger (1837-1915), a German composer and music teacher, and Gerhard Kruger (1915-1992), a German-American architect known for his modernist designs.

While the surname Kruger originated in the Low German region, it has since spread to other parts of Europe and beyond, carried by migrations and diasporas over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kruger families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kruger 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. Middlesex leads with 35 Krugers recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.32x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 35 3.32x
Lancashire 22 1.76x
Yorkshire 22 2.11x
Glamorgan 7 3.82x
Cheshire 4 1.72x
Devon 4 1.82x
Lanarkshire 3 0.88x
Kent 2 0.56x
Surrey 2 0.39x
Angus 1 1.02x
Berkshire 1 1.26x
Cornwall 1 0.84x
Durham 1 0.32x
Northumberland 1 0.64x
Renfrewshire 1 1.22x
Somerset 1 0.59x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 9 Krugers recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.85x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 9 11.85x
Toxteth Park 9 21.26x
Sculcoates 8 48.34x
Cardiff St John 7 116.86x
Poplar London 6 30.18x
St George In East London 6 60.54x
Westminster St James 6 55.40x
Shipley 5 92.25x
Hammersmith London 4 15.41x
Huddersfield 4 26.30x
Paignton 4 239.52x
Bootle Cum Linacre 3 30.21x
Claughton With Grange 3 283.02x
Holy Trinity 3 11.95x
Kensington London 3 5.12x
St Andrew Holborn London 3 65.79x
Carshalton 2 102.04x
Govan 2 2.37x
Mile End Old Town London 2 8.92x
Bethnal Green London 1 2.19x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 1 28.01x
Broompark 1 5000.00x
Charlton Next Woolwich 1 26.67x
Dover St Mary Virgin 1 28.74x
Dundee 1 2.75x
Elloughton Cum Brough 1 312.50x
Fowey 1 181.82x
Glasgow 1 1.65x
Greenock East 1 3333.33x
Hulme 1 3.83x
Reading St Mary 1 15.80x
Shoreditch London 1 2.19x
South Shields 1 35.84x
St George Hanover Square 1 5.39x
St Martin In Fields 1 15.85x
St Paul Covent Garden 1 95.24x
Walcot 1 11.07x
Wallasey 1 126.58x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
Henry 9
Charles 3
Frederick 3
John 3
William 3
August 2
George 2
Louis 2
Paul 2
Abraham 1
Alfred 1
Andrew 1
Ann 1
Bernard 1
Caesar 1
Ch. 1
Christopher 1
Edvard 1
Edwin 1
Eugene 1
Franz 1
Fred 1
Fredrick 1
Harry 1
Heinrich 1
Herman 1
Infant 1
Jas. 1
Johanna 1
Johen 1
Karl 1
Lustig 1
Morris 1
Norman 1
Peter 1
Robert 1
Simon 1
Wanda 1

FAQ

Kruger surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kruger surname in 1881?

In 1881, 108 people were recorded with the Kruger surname. That placed it at #18,888 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kruger surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 648 in 2016. That gives Kruger a modern rank of #8,200.

What does the Kruger surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to an innkeeper or tavern owner, derived from the Middle High German word "kruoc" meaning jug or pitcher.

What does the Kruger map show?

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