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

Crighton, 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 Crighton surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Crighton in America

Crighton is the 92719th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Crighton surname appeared 198 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Crighton.

We can also compare 2010 data for Crighton 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 Crighton

The surname Crighton has its origins in Scotland, dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Gaelic word "criathann," meaning "a shaking bog or marsh." This suggests that the name may have been initially used as a descriptive surname for someone who lived near or owned land containing a shaking bog or marsh.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name was found in the Scottish Exchequer Rolls of 1263, where one Adam de Craghtoun was mentioned. This spelling variation highlights the fluidity of surnames in those early days, as they were often spelled phonetically based on regional dialects.

One of the earliest notable figures with the surname Crighton was Sir William Crighton, who served as Lord Chancellor of Scotland from 1439 to 1454. He was a prominent figure during the reign of King James II of Scotland and played a significant role in the political affairs of the time.

Another notable individual was Robert Crichton (1593-1672), a Scottish scholar and professor of philosophy at the University of Paris. He was a renowned intellectual and wrote several works on logic and metaphysics, contributing significantly to the philosophical discourse of his era.

In the 17th century, James Crichton (1560-1582), known as "The Admirable Crichton," gained fame as a prodigy and polymath. Born in Scotland, he was celebrated for his exceptional abilities in languages, mathematics, and various other fields, earning him the nickname "The Admirable Crichton" during his lifetime.

The surname Crighton is also linked to several place names in Scotland, such as Crichton Castle in Midlothian, which was the ancestral seat of the Crichton family. The castle dates back to the 14th century and has a rich history associated with the Crichton clan.

Another notable figure was John Crichton-Stuart, 3rd Marquess of Bute (1713-1792), a Scottish nobleman and landowner. He was a prominent figure in the Scottish Enlightenment and played a significant role in the cultural and intellectual life of his time.

While the surname Crighton is predominantly Scottish in origin, it has since spread to various parts of the world through emigration and migration. However, its roots can be traced back to the shaking bogs and marshes of Scotland in the 12th century, where it first emerged as a descriptive surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Crighton

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

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

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

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