The Creighton surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 7,282 people carried this name — #4,840 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 40,500 people counted. That is up 2% from 7,126 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Creighton surname

Variant of Crichton.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Creighton» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a local name, from where the family lived: ‘of Crichton’.

His entry covers Crichton, Creighton, Craighton and Crighton.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 216 · public domain.

In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 23 births for the Creighton name in 1890.

Most were registered in Ulster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 1,000 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. 3 of them were indexed under other spellings of the name. The Registrar-General’s note on the name: “Antrim and Dublin.”

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born, 1890

Ulster 15
Leinster 6
Connacht 2

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

In Scotland’s registers today

Creighton was recorded 10 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 1929th most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 22. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

34 families named Creighton, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 152 people lived in those households, 4.5 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 7 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Maryland 10
Pennsylvania 6
South Carolina 6
New York 4
Maine 2
New Hampshire 2
Virginia 2
North Carolina 2

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 235 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Creighton in American newspapers,
1900–1929.

Newspaper page from The Milwaukee Leader carrying the name Creighton
The Milwaukee Leader 1929-11-09
Newspaper page from The Pacific Commercial Advertiser carrying the name Creighton
The Pacific Commercial Advertiser 1900-02-05
Newspaper page from The Intermountain Catholic carrying the name Creighton
The Intermountain Catholic 1900-03-31

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain.

In print

Creighton in Australian newspapers,
1830s–2000s.

13,217 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Creighton. The most, 2,661, date from the 1930s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Victoria, at 1.4 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 6,157
Victoria 3,558
Queensland 1,768
Western Australia 621
South Australia 508
Tasmania 443
ACT (Canberra) 94
Northern Territory 28

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Creighton.

Who carried it

People named Creighton,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Robert Creighton
    Robert Creighton 1593–1672 · bishop
  • Lady Mary Hervey
    Lady Mary Hervey 1753–1842 · aristocrat
  • Lady Mary Hervey
    Lady Mary Hervey 1753–1842 · aristocrat
  • Jean Creighton d. 1936
  • Charity Margaret Beamish d. 1903
  • Abraham Creighton d. 1810

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Creighton,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States1,458 records

1,458 records of the Creighton name in the United States
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 521
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 285
  • Other U.S. records 652
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Paul Baren Creighton

    Born 1947; from Memphis, Tennessee. U.S. Army, infantryman; killed in action 1968 in Bien Hoa, South Vietnam. Buried at Memphis National Cemetery, Tennessee.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Emmett H. Creighton

    Born 1915 in Maryland. Enlisted 1941 at Cambridge; textile mill worker. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1983, buried at Eastern Shore Veterans Cemetery, Hurlock, Maryland.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Rebecca Creighton

    Arrived at Philadelphia in 1850 aboard the Creole from Liverpool, aged 46; matron. From Ireland.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 1,458 records for Creighton in the United States.

Counts: NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada499 records

499 records of the Creighton name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 392
  • Halifax municipal cemeteries 33
  • Other Canadian records 74
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Civil record Annie K. Creighton

    Killed in the Halifax Explosion of 1917, aged 32.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Isaac Creighton

    Came to Ontario in 1870 aboard the Hibernian, landing at Quebec, bound for Brantford, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Henry Creighton

    Died 1965, aged 54; buried at St. Vital Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.

Showing 3 of 499 records for Creighton in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

Australia354 records

354 records of the Creighton name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 173
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 90
  • Other Australian records 91
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Patrick Creighton

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Phoenix, arriving 1826; ticket of leave 1832.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Patk Creighton

    Arrived in Victoria in 1857 aboard the Cyclone, aged 36; Irish.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Timothy T. Creighton

    Auctioneer of East Malvern, Victoria; died 1934.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 354 records for Creighton in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

United Kingdom23 records

23 records of the Creighton name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 14
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 5
  • Stirling Council burial records 4
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Agnes Creighton

    Died 1980, aged 63; buried at St Thomas Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Martha Creighton

    Buried in 1794 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 20.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record W. Creighton

    Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1919.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 23 records for Creighton in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Netherlands13 records

13 records of the Creighton name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 7
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 4
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 2
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Alexander Engelbertus Jacobus Creighton

    Died 1907 in Utrecht, aged 66.

    Open Archives, Het Utrechts Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Maria Regista Creighton

    Married in 1795 in Dinteloord.

    Open Archives, West Brabants Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Jacobus Leonardus Creighton

    In the population register of Amsterdam; born 1850 in Leiden.

    Open Archives, Regionaal Archief Alkmaar (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 13 records for Creighton in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

New Zealand7 records

7 records of the Creighton name in New Zealand
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 3
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 2
  • Timaru and Mackenzie District cemetery records 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record William Creighton

    Buried in 1895 at Shortland Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 71.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Joseph Creighton

    Died 1915, aged 54; buried at Sydenham Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Margaret Jeanny Creighton

    Died 2001, aged 50; buried at Tairua Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 7 records for Creighton in New Zealand.

Counts: Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Canterbury Maps (Environment Canterbury), Timaru and Mackenzie District Councils (CC BY 3.0 NZ). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

France1 record

1 record of the Creighton name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record William George Creighton

    Born 1917 in Great Britain; died 1994 in Limoges (Haute-Vienne).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Creighton.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Creighton is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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