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

Cromwell, 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 Cromwell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cromwell in America

Cromwell is the 4397th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cromwell surname appeared 8,087 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 Cromwell.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cromwell 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 Cromwell

The surname Cromwell originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "crum" meaning "crooked" and "well" meaning "stream" or "spring". The name likely referred to someone who lived near a winding stream or river.

One of the earliest records of the name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Crumawelle" in Suffolk. Similar early spellings include "Cromewell", "Crumwelle", and "Cromwelle". The name was particularly prevalent in the counties of Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, and Huntingdonshire.

A notable early bearer of the name was Ralph de Cromwell, a 13th-century Baron who fought in the Wars of Scottish Independence. Another early figure was John Cromwell, a 14th-century Member of Parliament for Nottinghamshire.

The name gained significant prominence in the 16th and 17th centuries with Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658), the English military and political leader who served as Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland. His descendants, including his son Richard Cromwell (1626-1712), also played important roles in English history.

Other notable individuals with the surname Cromwell include Thomas Cromwell (c. 1485-1540), an influential minister in the court of King Henry VIII, and James Cromwell (born 1940), the American actor known for roles in films such as "Babe" and "L.A. Confidential".

The name Cromwell has also been associated with several place names in England, such as Cromwell in Nottinghamshire and Cromwell Bottom in West Yorkshire, further reflecting its long-standing presence in the country.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cromwell

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

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

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

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