NameCensus.

UK surname

Mccrea

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic "Mac Rèidh," meaning "son of Rae" or "son of the smooth one."

In the 1881 census there were 230 people recorded with the Mccrea surname, ranking it #11,748 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 672, ranked #7,966, up from #11,748 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Stranraer and Greenock. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Lancashire, Chorley and Richmondshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mccrea is 726 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 192.2%.

1881 census count

230

Ranked #11,748

Modern count

672

2016, ranked #7,966

Peak year

2010

726 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mccrea had 230 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,748 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 672 in 2016, ranked #7,966.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 250 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mccrea surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mccrea surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mccrea 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 186 #11,024
1861 historical 150 #15,296
1881 historical 230 #11,748
1891 historical 219 #13,974
1901 historical 250 #13,136
1911 historical 205 #14,733
1997 modern 624 #7,925
1998 modern 662 #7,798
1999 modern 690 #7,604
2000 modern 690 #7,573
2001 modern 659 #7,714
2002 modern 686 #7,633
2003 modern 687 #7,493
2004 modern 673 #7,643
2005 modern 667 #7,633
2006 modern 651 #7,790
2007 modern 676 #7,651
2008 modern 691 #7,563
2009 modern 694 #7,690
2010 modern 726 #7,568
2011 modern 697 #7,715
2012 modern 664 #7,933
2013 modern 687 #7,855
2014 modern 683 #7,933
2015 modern 671 #7,984
2016 modern 672 #7,966

Geography

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Where Mccreas are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Stranraer, Greenock, Glasgow and West Derby. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Lancashire, Chorley, Richmondshire, Rothesay Town and Preston. 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 Stranraer Wigtown
3 Greenock Renfrew
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 West Derby Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Lancashire 015 West Lancashire
2 Chorley 009 Chorley
3 Richmondshire 004 Richmondshire
4 Rothesay Town Argyll and Bute
5 Preston 007 Preston

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mccrea

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mccrea

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Mccrea 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

Mccrea 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

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

Meaning and origin of Mccrea

The surname McCrea is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic words 'mac' meaning 'son of' and 'cruidh' meaning 'cattle' or 'herd'. It was initially used as a descriptive name for someone who worked as a cattle herder or was associated with cattle farming.

The McCrea surname is believed to have originated in the Scottish Highlands, particularly in the areas around Argyll and the Hebrides Islands. The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the 16th century, with variations in spelling such as McCrea, McCray, and McCree.

One of the earliest known references to the McCrea name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a historical record of Scottish landowners and nobles who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The entry "William McCrea" is listed among the names from the county of Ayr.

In the 17th century, the McCrea family played a prominent role in the Scottish Covenanter movement, which sought to preserve the Presbyterian form of church government in Scotland. John McCrea (1590-1670) was a well-known Covenanter minister and author who was imprisoned for his beliefs.

One of the most famous individuals bearing the McCrea surname was Jane McCrea (1752-1777), a loyalist living in New York during the American Revolutionary War. Her tragic death at the hands of Native American allies of the British became a rallying cry for the American cause.

Other notable McCreas throughout history include:

1. William McCrea (1809-1883), an Irish Presbyterian minister and a leader of the evangelical movement in Ulster. 2. Thomas McCrea (1808-1892), a Scottish-born Canadian politician and judge who served as the fourth Premier of Nova Scotia. 3. Jane McCrea (1909-2002), an American actress and singer who appeared in numerous Broadway musicals and films. 4. John McCrea (1935-2011), a Canadian singer-songwriter and co-founder of the folk group The Travellers. 5. Robert McCrea (1853-1926), a Scottish-born American businessman and philanthropist who co-founded the National Biscuit Company (Nabisco).

The McCrea surname has been associated with various place names, including McCrea Brook in Nova Scotia and McCrea Village in Ontario, Canada, further highlighting the family's historical presence in different regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mccrea families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mccrea 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. Lancashire leads with 5 Mccreas recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.54x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 5 2.54x
Staffordshire 4 7.15x
Sussex 3 10.74x
Yorkshire 3 1.83x
Middlesex 2 1.21x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hove in Sussex leads with 3 Mccreas recorded in 1881 and an index of 243.90x.

Place Total Index
Hove 3 243.90x
West Bromwich 3 93.75x
West Derby 3 52.17x
Chelsea London 2 40.08x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 64.10x
Warley 2 425.53x
Rawmarsh 1 172.41x
Wednesbury 1 71.43x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Annie 1
Eliza 1
Esther 1
Henrietta 1
Jane 1
Laura 1
Margaret 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Duncan 1
Frances 1
Frederic 1
Frederick 1
Henry 1
Hugh 1
James 1
John 1
Joseph 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 Mccrea households.

FAQ

Mccrea surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mccrea surname in 1881?

In 1881, 230 people were recorded with the Mccrea surname. That placed it at #11,748 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mccrea surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 672 in 2016. That gives Mccrea a modern rank of #7,966.

What does the Mccrea surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic "Mac Rèidh," meaning "son of Rae" or "son of the smooth one."

What does the Mccrea map show?

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