2000
#12,373
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,303
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.85
Rare Last name
Creason
Derived from a place name meaning "dweller at the watercress spring" in Old English.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,534 Americans carry the last name Creason. That puts it at #13,237 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.74 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 135,262 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Creason surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
2.5K
1 in 135,262
Census rank
#13,237
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,210 bearers of the surname Creason in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.74 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 13237th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Creason, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.1%) and Hispanic (4.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Creason
The surname Creason is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, possibly deriving from a place name or an occupational name. One theory suggests that it may have evolved from the Old English word "crēac," which means "corner" or "nook," implying a connection to a specific geographic location or landscape feature.
Another hypothesis traces the name's roots to the Old French word "cresoun," meaning "a small crescent-shaped object." This could indicate an association with a particular trade or craft, perhaps a maker or seller of such items. Variations of the spelling, such as Cresson, Creson, and Crayson, can be found in historical records, reflecting the fluid nature of surname spellings in earlier times.
The earliest known record of the Creason name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire, dated 1275, where a certain Richard Creson is mentioned. This document provides invaluable insight into the prevalence and distribution of surnames during that era.
In the 14th century, the name surfaces in the Subsidy Rolls of Cambridgeshire, with a reference to John Creyson in 1327. This record offers a glimpse into the taxation records of the time and hints at the social status and occupation of individuals bearing the Creason surname.
Notably, the Creason name is found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners and properties commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This inclusion suggests that the Creason family may have held a notable position or landholdings during the Norman conquest of England.
Among the notable individuals who carried the Creason surname in history are:
1. Sir William Creason (1564-1632), a prominent English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1614.
2. John Creason (1592-1672), an English clergyman and scholar known for his contributions to the study of ancient languages.
3. Elizabeth Creason (1670-1745), a renowned midwife and herbalist who practiced in the village of Stratford-upon-Avon during the late 17th and early 18th centuries.
4. Thomas Creason (1718-1798), a British naval officer who distinguished himself in several battles during the American Revolutionary War.
5. Margaret Creason (1844-1912), an influential educator and advocate for women's rights in the United States, who founded several schools and organizations promoting educational opportunities for girls and women.
The surname Creason has a rich history spanning centuries, with its origins shrouded in the mists of medieval England. While its precise derivation remains open to interpretation, the name has left an indelible mark on various aspects of society, from commerce and politics to academia and military service.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Creason
Among Census respondents with the surname Creason, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.1%) and Hispanic (4.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Creason bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Creason surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.3% · 1,951
- Two or more races5.1% · 113
- Hispanic or Latino4.7% · 104
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 19
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 16
- Black or African American0.3% · 7
Timeline
Historical Census data for Creason
Creason appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#12,680
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,437
+134 bearers (+5.8%)
Per 100,000 0.83
Rank movement Down 307 places
2020
#13,237
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,210
-227 bearers (-9.3%)
Per 100,000 0.74
Rank movement Down 557 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #12,373 | 2,303 | 0.85 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #12,680 | 2,437 | 0.83 | +134 bearers (+5.8%) | Down 307 places |
| 2020 | #13,237 | 2,210 | 0.74 | -227 bearers (-9.3%) | Down 557 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Creason surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #12,680 | #13,237 | -4.4% |
| Count | 2,437 | 2,210 | -9.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.83 | 0.74 | -10.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Creason bearers went from 2,437 to 2,210 (-9.3% change). The surname moved down 557 positions in the national ranking, going from #12,680 to #13,237.
FAQ
Creason surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Creason?
Name Census estimates that about 2,534 living Americans carry the surname Creason. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 135,262 residents.
How common is Creason?
Creason ranks #13,237 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.74 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,210 people with the surname Creason. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,534), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.74 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.74 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Creason.
Has Creason become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Creason went from 2,437 recorded bearers to 2,210. That is a decrease of 227 (-9.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #12,680 to #13,237.
What does the Census say about the background of Creason?
Among Census respondents with the surname Creason, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.1%) and Hispanic (4.7%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Creason in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.3% (1,951 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Creason appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.3%), Two or More Races (5.1%), Hispanic (4.7%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Creason (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Creason mean?
Derived from a place name meaning "dweller at the watercress spring" in Old English. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Creason (0.74 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Creason?
Find out how common the surname Creason is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.