Crawford Last Name Meaning and Origin

Stream crossing

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Derived from the Gaelic word cru meaning "bloody," and ford meaning "pass or crossing," the CRAWFORD surname is believed by most to mean a crossing of blood. Believed to be first assumed by the proprietor of the lands and barony of Crawford, in Lanarkshire, Scotland, Crawford is often a habitational name derived from several different places called Crawford (e.g. in South Lanarkshire, Scotland; Dorset, England; and Somerset, England).

A possible similar derivation for the Crawford last name comes from crawe meaning "crow" and ford meaning "pass or crossing."

Alternate Surname Spellings: CROFFORD, CRAWFFORD, CRAUFURD, CRUFORD. Also a variant of CROWFOOT.

Surname Origin: English, Scottish, northern Irish

Famous People with the Crawford Surname

  • Joan Crawford - American film and theater actress, and pin-up girl
  • Cindy Crawford - American model, film actress and television personality

Genealogy Resources for the Surname Crawford

Meanings of Common English Surnames
Uncover the meaning of your English last name with this free guide to English surname meanings and origins for the most common English surnames.

CRAWFORD Family Genealogy Forum
This free message board is focused on descendants of Crawford ancestors around the world.

FamilySearch - CRAWFORD Genealogy
Search or browse for free access to digitized records and lineage-linked family trees for the Crawford surname on FamilySearch.org, the website of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

CRAWFORD Surname Mailing List
Free mailing list for researchers of the Crawford surname and its variations includes subscription details and a searchable archives of past messages.

DistantCousin.com - CRAWFORD Genealogy & Family History
Free databases and genealogy links for the last name Crawford.

-- Looking for the meaning of a given name? Check out First Name Meanings

-- Can't find your last name listed? Suggest a surname to be added to the Glossary of Surname Meanings & Origins.

References: Surname Meanings & Origins

Cottle, Basil. Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967.

Dorward, David. Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998.

Fucilla, Joseph. Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003.

Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges. A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989.

Hanks, Patrick. Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003.

Reaney, P.H. A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997.

Smith, Elsdon C. American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997.

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Powell, Kimberly. "Crawford Last Name Meaning and Origin." ThoughtCo, Aug. 27, 2020, thoughtco.com/crawford-last-name-meaning-and-origin-1422414. Powell, Kimberly. (2020, August 27). Crawford Last Name Meaning and Origin. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/crawford-last-name-meaning-and-origin-1422414 Powell, Kimberly. "Crawford Last Name Meaning and Origin." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/crawford-last-name-meaning-and-origin-1422414 (accessed March 19, 2024).