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

Crosby, 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 Crosby surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Crosby in America

Crosby is the 851st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Crosby surname appeared 40,563 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 14 people would have the surname Crosby.

We can also compare 2010 data for Crosby 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 Crosby

The surname Crosby has its origins in England, specifically in the counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire. It is derived from the Old Norse words "kross" meaning "cross" and "by" meaning "town" or "village." This suggests that the name likely originated from a place name referring to a settlement near a cross or crossroads.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Crosby can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Crosbyvillam." This entry refers to a village in Lancashire, which later became known as Crosby.

In the 12th century, the name Crosby is mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Lancashire, which were records of financial transactions and tax collections. These rolls list individuals with the surname Crosby living in various areas of the county.

During the 13th century, the name Crosby appeared in the Assize Rolls of Yorkshire, which were records of legal proceedings and court cases. This suggests that the surname had spread to neighboring counties by this time.

One notable figure bearing the Crosby surname was Sir John Crosby (c. 1440-1475), a wealthy merchant and alderman of London. He was involved in the construction of Crosby Hall, a prestigious medieval building that still stands today.

Another prominent individual with the Crosby surname was Brass Crosby (1725-1793), an English lawyer and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1770.

In the literary world, Fanny Crosby (1820-1915), a American writer and composer, is renowned for her prolific output of over 8,000 hymns and gospel songs, despite being blind from infancy.

Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby (1903-1977), an American singer, actor, and comedian, is perhaps one of the most famous individuals to bear the Crosby surname. He was a celebrated entertainer and one of the first multimedia stars, appearing in numerous films, radio shows, and television programs.

The Crosby surname can also be found in various place names across England, such as Crosby, Merseyside; Crosby Ravensworth, Cumbria; and Crosby-on-Eden, Cumbria, further reinforcing its geographical origins.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Crosby

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

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

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

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