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

Criswell, 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 Criswell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Criswell in America

Criswell is the 4401st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Criswell surname appeared 8,077 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Criswell.

We can also compare 2010 data for Criswell 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 Criswell

The surname Criswell originates from England and can be traced back to the late 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "cris" meaning "crisp" or "curly" and "well" referring to a spring or stream of water. This suggests that the name originally referred to someone who lived near a stream with crisp or curly water.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Criswell can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Norfolk, a census-like record from 1273, where it appears as "Crispewell." This spelling variation highlights the name's evolution over time.

In the 14th century, the Criswell family established themselves in the county of Staffordshire, particularly in the town of Creswell, which may have influenced the spelling of their surname. The name Creswell is believed to be derived from the Old English words "cress" meaning "watercress" and "well."

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landholdings in England compiled in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname Criswell. However, it does mention places with similar names, such as Cresswell in Northumberland and Creswell in Derbyshire, suggesting that the name may have had roots in these areas as well.

Notable individuals with the surname Criswell throughout history include:

1. John Criswell (c. 1587-1663), an English Puritan minister and writer who served as the rector of St. Anne's Church in Aldersgate, London.

2. Samuel Criswell (1670-1748), an American Quaker and landowner who was one of the first settlers in what is now Chester County, Pennsylvania.

3. Robert Criswell (1783-1857), an American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Maryland.

4. Mary Criswell (1815-1892), an American poet and author known for her works on temperance and abolition.

5. Obed Criswell (1858-1940), an American businessman and philanthropist who founded the Criswell College in Dallas, Texas.

While the Criswell surname may have evolved over time and been influenced by various place names, its origins can be traced back to the late 13th century in England, where it likely referred to individuals living near crisp or curly streams of water.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Criswell

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

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

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

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