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

Crittenden, 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 Crittenden surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Crittenden in America

Crittenden is the 5432nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Crittenden surname appeared 6,411 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Crittenden.

We can also compare 2010 data for Crittenden 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 Crittenden

The surname Crittenden is of English origin, deriving from the Old English words "criddan" and "denu," meaning "chalky valley." This indicates that the earliest bearers of the name likely resided in a chalky valley region.

The name first appeared in historical records in the late 11th century Domesday Book, compiled in 1086 under the reign of William the Conqueror. Several entries list individuals with variations of the name, such as Cridandene and Critandene, residing in counties like Kent and Sussex.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname was John de Crittenden, born around 1220 in Kent. He was a landowner and held estates in the village of Crittenden, which likely took its name from the family.

In the 14th century, Richard Crittenden, born in 1312 in Sussex, was a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of London. He was known for his involvement in the wool trade and his philanthropic efforts.

During the Tudor period, Sir Thomas Crittenden (1505-1581) was a notable figure. Born in Kent, he served as a Member of Parliament and was appointed Sheriff of Kent in 1557.

The Crittenden family also had a presence in the American colonies. John Crittenden (1787-1863), born in Woodford County, Kentucky, was a prominent lawyer, politician, and Governor of Kentucky from 1848 to 1850.

Another notable American with the surname was John Jordan Crittenden (1809-1891), born in Russellville, Kentucky. He served as a United States Senator from Kentucky and was a prominent figure in the Union Army during the Civil War.

While the name has evolved in spelling over the centuries, with variations like Crittenden, Crittendon, and Crittington appearing, the origins can be traced back to the chalky valleys of southern England in the medieval period.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Crittenden

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

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

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

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