2000
#2,201
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 15,149
First available Census row
Per 100,000 5.62
Uncommon Last name
Craven
Derived from a Middle English nickname for a person with a cowardly or timid nature.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 16,983 Americans carry the last name Craven. That puts it at #2,399 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 4.95 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 20,182 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Craven surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Craven with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
17K
1 in 20,182
Census rank
#2,399
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
5.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
15K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 14,810 bearers of the surname Craven in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 4.95 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2399th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Craven, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.1%. The next largest groups are Black (5.5%) and Two or More Races (4.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Craven
The surname Craven is an English locational name derived from the Craven district of North Yorkshire. It originates from the Old Norse word "krafr," meaning "nook" or "corner," referring to the secluded and remote nature of the area. The Craven district encompasses the scenic Yorkshire Dales and has a rich history dating back to the 7th century.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Craven can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Cravene." This Norman survey of landholdings in England provides valuable insight into the distribution of names and families during that era.
In the 12th century, the surname Craven was associated with the powerful Craven family, who held significant land and influence in the Craven district. Notable members include Sir William Craven (c. 1170-1244), a prominent landowner and benefactor of the Cistercian order.
The name Craven also has ties to the nearby town of Skipton, which was once referred to as "Skipton-in-Craven." This connection is evident in the life of Sir William Craven (1608-1697), a renowned merchant, courtier, and philanthropist who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1669.
Another notable figure was Richard Craven (c. 1530-1600), an English churchman and academic who served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge from 1584 to 1586.
In the literary world, the surname Craven is associated with Thomas Craven (1616-1648), an English poet and playwright best known for his tragedy "The Reformation." His works provide valuable insight into the cultural and political climate of 17th-century England.
The Craven surname also has ties to the military, with Sir Nevill Maskelyne Craven (1863-1941), a British Army officer and recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest military decoration awarded for valor in the British Empire.
Throughout history, the surname Craven has been spelled in various ways, including Cravin, Cravene, and Cravyn, reflecting the evolution of language and regional variations. While its roots can be traced back to the Craven district of Yorkshire, the name has since spread across England and beyond, carried by families who have contributed to the rich tapestry of history and culture.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Craven
Among Census respondents with the surname Craven, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.1%. The next largest groups are Black (5.5%) and Two or More Races (4.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Craven bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 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.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
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 Craven surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White86.1% · 12,748
- Black or African American5.5% · 815
- Two or more races4.1% · 613
- Hispanic or Latino3.0% · 447
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 96
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 91
Timeline
Historical Census data for Craven
Craven appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#2,341
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 15,567
+418 bearers (+2.8%)
Per 100,000 5.28
Rank movement Down 140 places
2020
#2,399
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 14,810
-757 bearers (-4.9%)
Per 100,000 4.95
Rank movement Down 58 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #2,201 | 15,149 | 5.62 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #2,341 | 15,567 | 5.28 | +418 bearers (+2.8%) | Down 140 places |
| 2020 | #2,399 | 14,810 | 4.95 | -757 bearers (-4.9%) | Down 58 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Craven surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,341 | #2,399 | -2.5% |
| Count | 15,567 | 14,810 | -4.9% |
| Per 100K | 5.28 | 4.95 | -6.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Craven bearers went from 15,567 to 14,810 (-4.9% change). The surname moved down 58 positions in the national ranking, going from #2,341 to #2,399.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Craven
FAQ
Craven surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Craven?
Name Census estimates that about 16,983 living Americans carry the surname Craven. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 20,182 residents.
How common is Craven?
Craven ranks #2,399 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 4.95 per 100,000 residents, which is about 5 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 14,810 people with the surname Craven. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (16,983), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 4.95 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 4.95 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 5 of them to have the surname Craven.
Has Craven become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Craven went from 15,567 recorded bearers to 14,810. That is a decrease of 757 (-4.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #2,341 to #2,399.
What does the Census say about the background of Craven?
Among Census respondents with the surname Craven, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.1%. The next largest groups are Black (5.5%) and Two or More Races (4.1%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Craven in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.1% (12,748 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Craven appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (86.1%), Black (5.5%), Two or More Races (4.1%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Craven (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Craven mean?
Derived from a Middle English nickname for a person with a cowardly or timid nature. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Craven (4.95 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Craven?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans have the surname Craven on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.