2000
#3,874
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 8,422
First available Census row
Per 100,000 3.12
Rare Last name
Cruse
An English occupational surname referring to someone who made or sold drinking vessels or earthenware jars.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 9,138 Americans carry the last name Cruse. That puts it at #4,311 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.67 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 37,509 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Cruse surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Cruse with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
9.1K
1 in 37,509
Census rank
#4,311
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
8.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 7,969 bearers of the surname Cruse in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.67 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 4311th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Cruse, the largest self-reported group is White at 75.3%. The next largest groups are Black (13.7%) and Two or More Races (5.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Cruse
The surname Cruse has its origins in England, emerging during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word "crouse," which means "curly-haired" or "crisp." This descriptor was likely applied to someone with distinctively curly hair or perhaps a person with a crisp personality.
Historically, the Cruse name can be traced back to the late 12th century, appearing in various records from the county of Yorkshire. One of the earliest recorded instances is in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1195, where a Robert Cruse is mentioned.
During the 13th century, the name gained prominence and spread to other regions of England. In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, a William Cruse is listed as a landowner in Lincolnshire. This suggests that the family had attained a certain level of social status by that time.
The Cruse name is also found in the renowned Domesday Book of 1086, although the spelling varies slightly as "Crus." This entry indicates the presence of the name in England shortly after the Norman Conquest.
Over the centuries, several notable individuals have carried the Cruse surname. In the 16th century, John Cruse (born c. 1510) was a prominent English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Canterbury. Another notable figure was Sir John Cruse (1549-1629), a wealthy landowner and Member of Parliament for Lymington.
In the arts, Thomas Cruse (1624-1700) was a celebrated English painter known for his portraits and historical scenes. His works can be found in various collections, including the National Portrait Gallery in London.
Moving forward to the 18th century, William Cruse (1715-1785) was a respected English clergyman and author who wrote several religious texts and sermons. His works were widely read and influential during his lifetime.
Another significant figure was Sir Randolph Cruse (1741-1821), a British naval officer who played a crucial role in several battles during the Napoleonic Wars. He was knighted for his distinguished service and bravery.
While the name Cruse originated in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through migration and settlement. However, the earliest recorded instances and historical references remain rooted in the English medieval period, reflecting the surname's enduring legacy and rich heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Cruse
Among Census respondents with the surname Cruse, the largest self-reported group is White at 75.3%. The next largest groups are Black (13.7%) and Two or More Races (5.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Cruse bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Cruse surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White75.3% · 6,001
- Black or African American13.7% · 1,088
- Two or more races5.0% · 397
- Hispanic or Latino4.7% · 375
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 66
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 42
Timeline
Historical Census data for Cruse
Cruse appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#4,121
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 8,614
+192 bearers (+2.3%)
Per 100,000 2.92
Rank movement Down 247 places
2020
#4,311
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 7,969
-645 bearers (-7.5%)
Per 100,000 2.67
Rank movement Down 190 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #3,874 | 8,422 | 3.12 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #4,121 | 8,614 | 2.92 | +192 bearers (+2.3%) | Down 247 places |
| 2020 | #4,311 | 7,969 | 2.67 | -645 bearers (-7.5%) | Down 190 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Cruse surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #4,121 | #4,311 | -4.6% |
| Count | 8,614 | 7,969 | -7.5% |
| Per 100K | 2.92 | 2.67 | -8.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Cruse bearers went from 8,614 to 7,969 (-7.5% change). The surname moved down 190 positions in the national ranking, going from #4,121 to #4,311.
FAQ
Cruse surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Cruse?
Name Census estimates that about 9,138 living Americans carry the surname Cruse. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 37,509 residents.
How common is Cruse?
Cruse ranks #4,311 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.67 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 7,969 people with the surname Cruse. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (9,138), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.67 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.67 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname Cruse.
Has Cruse become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Cruse went from 8,614 recorded bearers to 7,969. That is a decrease of 645 (-7.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #4,121 to #4,311.
What does the Census say about the background of Cruse?
Among Census respondents with the surname Cruse, the largest self-reported group is White at 75.3%. The next largest groups are Black (13.7%) and Two or More Races (5.0%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Cruse in the 2020 Census, accounting for 75.3% (6,001 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Cruse appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (75.3%), Black (13.7%), Two or More Races (5.0%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Cruse (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Cruse mean?
An English occupational surname referring to someone who made or sold drinking vessels or earthenware jars. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Cruse (2.67 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Cruse?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.