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

Crafton, 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 Crafton surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Crafton in America

Crafton is the 8173rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Crafton surname appeared 4,056 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Crafton.

We can also compare 2010 data for Crafton 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 Crafton

The surname Crafton is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the northern regions of the country. It is thought to be derived from Old English words such as "craeft," meaning craft or skill, and "tun," meaning a town or settlement. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to a skilled artisan or craftsman residing in a particular town or village.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Crafton" in reference to a place in Yorkshire. This historical record provides evidence of the name's existence in the 11th century and its potential connection to a specific location.

During the medieval period, variations of the name, such as "Craftone" and "Craftun," can be found in various historical documents and records. These spelling variations were common due to the lack of standardized orthography at the time.

Notable individuals bearing the surname Crafton throughout history include:

1. William Crafton (c. 1590-1670), an English merchant and landowner who played a significant role in the settlement of Virginia in the 17th century.
2. John Crafton (1730-1805), an American Revolutionary War soldier and early settler in Kentucky.
3. Elizabeth Crafton (1815-1892), a British author and philanthropist known for her work in promoting education and social reform.
4. Samuel Crafton (1868-1941), an English architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in London during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
5. Grace Crafton (1901-1988), an American artist and sculptor renowned for her abstract works and innovative use of materials.

The surname Crafton has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Crafton in Yorkshire and Crafton Green in Lancashire. These place names may have further contributed to the development and spread of the surname over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Crafton

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

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

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

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