NameCensus.

UK surname

Mccraw

A Scottish toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "the pass of blood" in Gaelic.

In the 1881 census there were 155 people recorded with the Mccraw surname, ranking it #15,174 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 270, ranked #15,913, down from #15,174 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dunbar, Melrose and Eccles. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wakefield, Duns and Jedburgh.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mccraw is 296 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 74.2%.

1881 census count

155

Ranked #15,174

Modern count

270

2016, ranked #15,913

Peak year

2011

296 bearers

Map years

7

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mccraw had 155 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,174 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 270 in 2016, ranked #15,913.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 212 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Mccraw surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mccraw surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mccraw 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 172 #11,682
1861 historical 81 #23,431
1881 historical 155 #15,174
1891 historical 203 #14,754
1901 historical 212 #14,611
1911 historical 28 #30,296
1997 modern 242 #15,597
1998 modern 240 #16,117
1999 modern 252 #15,707
2000 modern 261 #15,314
2001 modern 251 #15,483
2002 modern 262 #15,327
2003 modern 256 #15,377
2004 modern 263 #15,189
2005 modern 257 #15,365
2006 modern 258 #15,402
2007 modern 279 #14,732
2008 modern 279 #14,860
2009 modern 288 #14,838
2010 modern 288 #15,162
2011 modern 296 #14,729
2012 modern 271 #15,628
2013 modern 268 #16,005
2014 modern 270 #16,020
2015 modern 269 #15,955
2016 modern 270 #15,913

Geography

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Where Mccraws are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dunbar, Melrose, Eccles, Edinburgh and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wakefield, Duns, Jedburgh, Muthill, Greenloaning and Gleneagles and Fylde. 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 Dunbar Haddington
2 Melrose Roxburgh
3 Eccles Berwick
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wakefield 019 Wakefield
2 Duns Scottish Borders
3 Jedburgh Scottish Borders
4 Muthill, Greenloaning and Gleneagles Perth and Kinross
5 Fylde 008 Fylde

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mccraw

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mccraw

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Mccraw surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Mccraw household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Mccraw 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

Mccraw 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

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

Meaning and origin of Mccraw

The surname McCraw is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic Mac Cràthadh, which means "son of the trembler" or "son of the shaker." The name can be traced back to the 12th century in the Highlands of Scotland, particularly in the regions of Argyll and the Western Isles.

One of the earliest known records of the name McCraw appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a collection of homage pledges made to King Edward I of England. The name is listed as "Maccratha" in this document.

In the 15th century, the McCraw clan was prominent in the Outer Hebrides, particularly on the Isle of Lewis. Historical records from that time mention a Donald McCraw, who was a notable chieftain and warrior in the region.

The name McCraw has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Crawick in Dumfriesshire and Craufurd in Ayrshire. These place names are believed to have influenced the spelling variations of the surname over time.

Notable individuals with the surname McCraw throughout history include:

1. Sir James McCraw (1628-1694), a Scottish soldier and diplomat who served as the Governor of Jamaica from 1685 to 1692. 2. John McCraw (1750-1810), a Scottish-American surveyor and explorer who played a significant role in mapping the western territories of the United States. 3. Eliza McCraw (1822-1897), an Australian educator and women's rights advocate who established several schools in the colony of Victoria. 4. Robert McCraw (1876-1942), a Scottish-American businessman and philanthropist who founded the McCraw Foundation in New York City. 5. Mary McCraw (1914-2008), a renowned Scottish artist known for her landscape paintings and portraits, many of which are housed in galleries across the United Kingdom.

The surname McCraw has endured for centuries, carrying the rich history and cultural heritage of its Scottish roots. While its spelling and pronunciation may have evolved over time, the name continues to be a testament to the resilience and legacy of the McCraw clan.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mccraw families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mccraw 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. Essex leads with 1 Mccraws recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.25x.

County Total Index
Essex 1 26.25x
Lincolnshire 1 32.47x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Riseholme in Lincolnshire leads with 1 Mccraws recorded in 1881 and an index of 0.00x.

Place Total Index
Riseholme 1 0.00x
Walthamstow 1 714.29x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Jane 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 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 Mccraw households.

Occupation Count
Housekeeper 1
Railway Clerk 1

FAQ

Mccraw surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mccraw surname in 1881?

In 1881, 155 people were recorded with the Mccraw surname. That placed it at #15,174 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mccraw surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 270 in 2016. That gives Mccraw a modern rank of #15,913.

What does the Mccraw surname mean?

A Scottish toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "the pass of blood" in Gaelic.

What does the Mccraw map show?

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