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

Cross, 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 Cross surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cross in America

Cross is the 420th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cross surname appeared 77,557 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 26 people would have the surname Cross.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cross 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 Cross

The surname Cross originated in England and derives from the Old English word "cros" which means "cross" or "crucifix." It is believed to have originated as a topographic name, referring to someone who lived near a cross or crucifix, or as a nickname for a person who frequently made the sign of the cross.

The name is found in various early records, including the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Crois" and "Croiz." It is also recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1191 as "de Cruce" and in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1279 as "atte Crous."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is Walter Croys, who is mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1197. Another early bearer of the name was Robert de la Croyz, who is recorded in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1240.

The Cross surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history, including Ralph Cross (c. 1395 - c. 1463), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Northamptonshire. Another prominent figure was Jonathan Cross (1655 - 1712), an English clergyman and author who served as the Dean of Raphoe in Ireland.

In the 17th century, Samuel Cross (1622 - 1700) was a Puritan minister and author in New England. He played a significant role in the Salem Witch Trials and published a book titled "The Sou-Guards of Mercy" in 1683.

Among the more recent historical figures with the Cross surname is Wilbur Lucius Cross (1862 - 1948), an American educator and author who served as the president of Yale University from 1930 to 1937.

Another notable individual was Sir Ronald Cross (1896 - 1968), a British businessman and politician who served as the Governor of Tasmania from 1951 to 1958 and was later knighted for his services to the British Empire.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cross

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

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

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

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