Cruce last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Cruce

Meaning "cross", an English surname derived from Old French "cros" or Latin "crux".

Cruce, 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 Cruce surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cruce in America

Cruce is the 15289th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cruce surname appeared 1,920 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 Cruce.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cruce 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 15289 14457 5.59%
Count 1,920 1,893 1.42%
Proportion per 100k 0.65 0.70 -7.41%

The history of the last name Cruce

The surname Cruce originated in Italy, with roots dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Italian word "croce," which means "cross," likely referring to a religious symbol or a geographical location marked by a cross.

The earliest known records of the Cruce name can be traced back to the 12th century in the region of Tuscany. It is believed that the name may have originated from a place name or a family that lived near a prominent cross or church bearing a cross.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the Cruce surname was Giovanni Cruce, a merchant and explorer from Florence who lived in the late 13th century. He is known for his travels to the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern regions, documenting his journeys in a series of manuscripts.

Another notable figure was Alessandro Cruce, a renowned architect from Siena who lived in the 15th century. He was responsible for designing several churches and public buildings in the region, including the Palazzo Cruce, which still stands today.

In the 16th century, the Cruce family gained prominence in the city of Venice. Marco Cruce, a successful banker and diplomat, played a significant role in negotiating trade agreements between the Republic of Venice and other European nations.

During the Renaissance period, the name Cruce was associated with the arts and literature. Antonio Cruce, a poet and playwright from Florence, was celebrated for his works that explored themes of love, religion, and human nature.

In the 18th century, the Cruce family expanded to other parts of Italy and Europe. Pietro Cruce, a military officer from Naples, served in the armies of several Italian states and was recognized for his bravery and strategic skills.

Throughout history, the Cruce surname has been found in various places, sometimes with slight variations in spelling, such as Cruci, Cruze, or Cruchi. These variations often reflected regional dialects or local pronunciation preferences.

While the name Cruce may have originated in Italy, it has since spread to other parts of the world, carried by individuals and families who migrated or established new roots in different countries. However, the Italian heritage and the symbolism of the cross remain deeply rooted in the history and meaning of this surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cruce

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

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 Cruce was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 91.30% 1,753
Non-Hispanic Black Only 1.30% 25
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 1.15% 22
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 1.46% 28
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 2.08% 40
Hispanic Origin 2.71% 52

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 Cruce has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 91.30% 92.82% -1.65%
Black 1.30% 1.43% -9.52%
Asian and Pacific Islander 1.15% 1.16% -0.87%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 1.46% 1.22% 17.91%
Two or More Races 2.08% 1.69% 20.69%
Hispanic 2.71% 1.69% 46.36%

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

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

Reference this page

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Cruce last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/cruce-surname-popularity/.

"Cruce last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/cruce-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 November, 2024

Cruce last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/cruce-surname-popularity/.

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