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

Croy, 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 Croy surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Croy in America

Croy is the 8246th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Croy surname appeared 4,018 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Croy.

We can also compare 2010 data for Croy 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 Croy

The surname Croy originated in Scotland during the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old French word "croi", meaning a small hill or hillock. This suggests that the name may have been a topographic name given to someone who lived near a small hill or rising ground.

The earliest known record of the name Croy dates back to the 13th century, when it appeared in the Ragman Rolls, a collection of homage rolls recording those who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England during his invasion of Scotland in 1296. One such entry mentions William de Croy, a landowner from East Lothian.

In the 14th century, the name Croy was also recorded in the nearby county of Midlothian, where a place called Croyhill or Croyhilltown existed. This place name likely originated from the same Old French root and may have been the original source of the surname.

One of the earliest notable figures with the surname Croy was Sir William de Croy, a Scottish knight who fought alongside King Robert the Bruce in the Wars of Scottish Independence in the early 14th century. He was rewarded with lands in East Lothian for his loyalty and bravery.

Another prominent individual was Sir John Croy, a Scottish diplomat and statesman who served as Lord High Treasurer of Scotland in the late 15th century under King James III. He was also appointed as the first Lord Croy in 1471, establishing a noble lineage for the family.

In the 16th century, Sir James Croy (1518-1590) was a distinguished scholar and author who wrote extensively on Scottish history and theology. He served as the rector of the University of St Andrews and was a notable figure in the Scottish Reformation.

During the 17th century, the Croy family maintained their status as landowners and gentry in East Lothian. One notable member was Sir Alexander Croy (1620-1693), who served as a member of the Scottish Parliament and was a supporter of the Royalist cause during the English Civil War.

The surname Croy also spread to other parts of Scotland, with records indicating individuals bearing the name in the Highlands and Aberdeenshire. In the 18th century, John Croy (1711-1782) was a prominent merchant and shipowner based in Aberdeen, contributing to the city's maritime trade.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Croy

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

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

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

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