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

Craig, 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 Craig surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Craig in America

Craig is the 332nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Craig surname appeared 92,507 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 31 people would have the surname Craig.

We can also compare 2010 data for Craig 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 Craig

The surname Craig is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic word "creag" meaning a rock or crag. It is believed to have originated as a topographic name for someone who lived near a prominent rocky outcrop or craggy hill.

The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the 12th century in Scotland. One of the earliest documented bearers of the surname was William de Cragyn, who witnessed a charter in Ayrshire in 1163. The name also appeared in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which recorded those who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England after his conquest of Scotland.

In the 14th century, the Craigs of Riccarton, a notable Scottish family, rose to prominence. Sir Thomas Craig (1538-1608) was a renowned Scottish jurist and legal writer, serving as Lord Advocate of Scotland. His work "Jus Feudale" was a significant contribution to the understanding of feudal law.

Another notable bearer of the name was John Craig (1512-1600), a Scottish reformer and one of the leading figures in the Scottish Reformation. He played a crucial role in the establishment of Presbyterianism in Scotland.

The surname Craig was also associated with the Clan Craig, a Scottish clan based in the Scottish Lowlands. The clan's origins can be traced back to the lands of Craigfintry in Stirlingshire, and they were prominent in the region during the 16th and 17th centuries.

In the literary world, James Craig (1674-1744) was a Scottish mathematician and theologian, best known for his work "Theologiae Christianae Principia Mathematica" which attempted to apply mathematical principles to theology.

Other notable bearers of the surname include James Henry Craig (1748-1812), a British military officer who served in the American Revolutionary War, and Sir James Craig (1776-1855), a British army officer and colonial administrator who served as Governor-General of British North America from 1807 to 1811.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Craig

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

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

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

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