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

Cram, 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 Cram surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cram in America

Cram is the 8939th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cram surname appeared 3,662 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 Cram.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cram 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 Cram

The surname CRAM has its origins in England, where it first emerged in the 12th century as a variant spelling of the Old English word "cræm", meaning a small trading booth or stall. The name likely referred to an individual who operated a trading stall or market booth.

CRAM is thought to have originated in the county of Somerset, where early records show the name appearing in various forms, including Crame, Cramme, and Crayme. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Robert Crame, who is mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Somerset in 1194.

During the Middle Ages, the surname CRAM began to spread to other parts of England, including London, where it is recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of 1292. In these early records, the name is often found with various spellings, reflecting the inconsistencies of medieval English orthography.

The name CRAM is not found in the Domesday Book of 1086, as it had not yet emerged at that time. However, it is possible that the name is derived from a place name that was recorded in the Domesday survey, such as Crambe in Yorkshire or Cramlington in Northumberland.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was John Cram, who was born in Somerset around 1350. In the 15th century, the name appears in the records of the city of Bristol, where a Thomas Cram is mentioned in 1467.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname CRAM, including:

1. Ralph Adams Cram (1863-1942), an American architect and writer known for his Gothic Revival style buildings.
2. George Franklin Cram (1842-1928), an American publisher and founder of the George F. Cram Company, which produced atlases and maps.
3. William Everett Cram (1871-1948), an American lawyer and politician who served as the 34th Governor of Massachusetts from 1923 to 1925.
4. James M. Cram (1847-1928), an American politician and businessman who served as the Mayor of Lockport, New York, in the late 19th century.
5. Mildred Cram (1889-1985), an American writer and educator who published several books on gardening and horticulture.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cram

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

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

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

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