Crain
An occupational surname referring to a crane operator or a person who worked with cranes or similar lifting devices.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 20,497 Americans carry the last name Crain. That puts it at #2,038 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 5.98 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 16,722 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Crain surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
20K
1 in 16,722
Census rank
#2,038
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
6.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
18K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 17,650 bearers of the surname Crain in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 5.98 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2038th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Crain, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.8%. The next largest groups are Black (8.4%) and Hispanic (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Crain
The surname Crain has its origins in England, where it is believed to have first emerged in the late 12th or early 13th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English word "cran," meaning "crane," which likely referred to someone who lived near a place frequented by cranes or someone who worked with cranes in some capacity.
One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Curia Regis Rolls of 1208, which mention a William Cran. The surname is also documented in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1279, where it appears as "Cranne." These early spellings suggest that the name may have originally been a nickname or descriptive name before becoming a hereditary surname.
In the 14th century, the surname began to appear in various forms, including Craine, Crayne, and Crayn, reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling at the time. One notable bearer of the name from this period was John Craine, a merchant from London, who is mentioned in records from 1387.
The Crain surname can also be traced to certain place names in England, such as Crane Court in Hampshire and Crane Hall in Derbyshire. These locations may have influenced the development of the surname or served as places of origin for some Crain families.
Throughout history, the Crain surname has been associated with several notable individuals, including:
1. William Crain (c. 1460-1515), an English scholar and theologian who served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge.
2. John Crain (c. 1590-1670), an English Puritan minister and author who emigrated to New England in the 1630s.
3. Matilda Crain (1825-1899), an American educator and author from New York, known for her writings on women's rights and education.
4. David Crain (1862-1935), an American politician who served as the 30th Governor of Arkansas from 1923 to 1925.
5. George Crain (1887-1942), an American film director and screenwriter best known for his work on several Charlie Chaplin films in the 1920s.
While the Crain surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, as a result of migration and settlement patterns over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Crain
Among Census respondents with the surname Crain, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.8%. The next largest groups are Black (8.4%) and Hispanic (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Crain bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Crain surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White85.8%
- Black or African American8.4%
- Hispanic or Latino2.6%
- Two or more races1.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Crain surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,934 | #2,038 | -5.4% |
| Count | 17,110 | 17,650 | 3.2% |
| Per 100K | 6.34 | 5.98 | -5.7% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Crain bearers went from 17,110 to 17,650 (+3.2% change). The surname moved down 104 positions in the national ranking, going from #1,934 to #2,038.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Crain
FAQ
Crain surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Crain?
The surname Crain holds position #2,038 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 20,497 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 5.98 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Crain surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Crain, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.8%. The next largest groups are Black (8.4%) and Hispanic (2.6%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.