Find out how popular the last name Crabb is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Crabb.

Crabb, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Crabb surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Crabb in America

Crabb is the 5897th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Crabb surname appeared 5,851 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Crabb.

We can also compare 2010 data for Crabb to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Crabb

The surname Crabb has its origins in England, where it first appeared in the late 12th century. The name is believed to have derived from the Old English word "crabba," which referred to a crab or a crab-like creature. It may have been initially used as a descriptive nickname for someone with a crab-like appearance or mannerisms.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from the year 1191, where a person named Roger Crabb is mentioned. The surname also appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where a John Crabbe is listed.

In the 14th century, the name was found in various parts of England, including Essex, Suffolk, and Wiltshire. The Subsidy Rolls of 1327 record a Richard Crabbe in Essex, while the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1332 list a Thomas Crabbe in Suffolk. Additionally, the Feet of Fines for Wiltshire in 1349 mention a John Crabbe.

The name Crabb has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest examples is John Crabb (c. 1350 – c. 1410), an English Benedictine monk and scholar who served as the prior of Bury St Edmunds Abbey in Suffolk.

Another prominent figure was Roger Crabb (c. 1455 – 1535), an English lawyer and member of Parliament who served as the Recorder of Boston during the reign of Henry VIII.

In the 17th century, George Crabb (1778 – 1854) was an English philologist and lexicographer who published several works, including "A Universal Technological Dictionary" and "A Dictionary of General Knowledge."

The 19th century saw the rise of Habakkuk Crabb (1781 – 1858), an English clergyman and author who wrote the satirical novel "The English Expositor" and served as the rector of Beyton in Suffolk.

In the field of literature, Alma Crabb (1898 – 1987) was an American author and poet who wrote several books, including "The Wanderer" and "Poems of Love and Life."

While the name Crabb has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia, where individuals bearing this surname can be found today.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Crabb

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Crabb.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Crabb was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Crabb has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Crabb was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Crabb, please contact us.

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