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

Craft, 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 Craft surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Craft in America

Craft is the 1116th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Craft surname appeared 31,452 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 11 people would have the surname Craft.

We can also compare 2010 data for Craft 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 Craft

The surname CRAFT is of English origin, having derived from the Old English word "cræft" meaning "skill" or "ability". This name was originally an occupational surname given to skilled craftsmen or artisans.

Records show that the name was present in England as early as the 13th century. One of the earliest recorded instances is that of Adam le Craft, who was mentioned in the Assize Court Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1260.

The surname CRAFT is also found in various historical documents from medieval times, including the Hundred Rolls of 1273 which listed a Roger Craft from Oxfordshire. Another early record is that of William Craft, whose name appeared in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327.

As the surname spread across England, it took on various spellings such as Crafte, Craffte, and Crafts. These variations were often influenced by local dialects and the preferences of scribes who recorded the names.

One notable figure in history who bore this surname was John Craft (c. 1515-1587), an English Protestant clergyman and writer. He was a notable figure during the Reformation and served as the Archdeacon of Winchester.

Another individual of note was Thomas Craft (1677-1753), an English architect and surveyor who worked on several important projects in London, including the rebuilding of St. Paul's Cathedral after the Great Fire of 1666.

In the literary world, William Craft (1824-1900) was an American writer and abolitionist who gained fame for his autobiographical work "Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom" which detailed his and his wife's daring escape from slavery in Georgia.

Mary Agnes Craft (1839-1905) was a British novelist and children's author, best known for her works such as "A Daughter of the Soil" and "The Wyndham Girls".

The surname CRAFT has also been found in various place names across England, such as Crafthole in Cornwall and Crafton in Yorkshire, both of which likely derived their names from individuals bearing the surname who resided in these areas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Craft

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

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 Craft 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 Craft 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 Craft was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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