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

Crites, 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 Crites surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Crites in America

Crites is the 4799th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Crites surname appeared 7,363 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 Crites.

We can also compare 2010 data for Crites 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 Crites

The surname Crites has its origins in the Middle English period, dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "criter," which means "to cry out" or "to proclaim." The name likely referred to a town crier or a herald, whose profession involved loudly announcing news and proclamations.

The earliest recorded instances of the Crites surname can be found in various historical records from England, such as the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1273, where the name is spelled as "Crytor." This variation in spelling was common during the medieval period due to the lack of standardized orthography.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a document commissioned by William the Conqueror to survey the lands of England, there are no direct references to the Crites surname. However, it does mention individuals with similar occupational names, such as "crieurs" (criers) or "heraudz" (heralds).

One of the earliest known bearers of the Crites surname was Sir John Crites, a prominent English knight who lived during the reign of Edward III in the 14th century. He served as a member of the King's Council and participated in the Hundred Years' War against France.

Another notable figure was Thomas Crites (1550-1610), an English clergyman and author who wrote several theological works, including "A Treatise on the Sacraments" and "Sermons on the Lord's Prayer."

In the 16th century, the Crites family established themselves in the county of Norfolk, England. This is evident from the records of the Visitation of Norfolk in 1563, which documented the pedigrees of the gentry families in the region.

During the 17th century, the spelling of the surname evolved further, with variations such as "Crites," "Crytes," and "Critts" appearing in various records. One notable individual from this period was Sir Edward Crites (1635-1707), a British politician who served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Thetford.

In the 18th century, the Crites surname spread beyond England to other parts of the British Isles and beyond. For example, James Crites (1720-1785) was a Scottish merchant and explorer who established trading posts in the Hudson Bay region of Canada.

As the surname Crites continued to evolve and spread throughout the centuries, it became associated with various occupations and social statuses, from military officers and clergymen to merchants and explorers. While the origins of the name can be traced back to the medieval profession of town criers, it has since taken on a diverse range of meanings and connotations.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Crites

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

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

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

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