Surname Craford - Meaning and Origin

Craford: What does the surname Craford mean?

The surname Craford is of English origin and is derived from place names in England. It is a variant of the surnames Crawford or Crawfurd, which originates from a locality in Lanarkshire, Scotland. In old English, the name Crawford means "crow ford," reflecting a place where crows were seen or perhaps a crossing (ford) frequented by crows. An alternate interpretation of the surname may stem from the Old English elements ‘crawa’ meaning 'crow' and ‘ford’ meaning 'ford', referring to a shallow crossing point in a river or stream. Given its derivation from a place name, the surname is considered topographic. It's important to note that surnames often evolved as a way to sort people into groups by occupation, place of origin, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics. Over time, the spelling of surnames evolved and varied greatly, leading to numerous variations of the same original name.

Craford: Where does the name Craford come from?

The surname Craford is believed to originate from England, specifically from a place called Crawford in Lancashire. The name Craw(e) + ford means ‘crow ford’, probably a reference to a ford frequented by crows. Other theories suggest that the name may also have derived from the Old English "crawa", a crow, and "ford", a shallow river crossing. Over time, many versions of the name appeared, with variations including Crawford, Crawfurd, Craufurd, and more.

As with many surnames, the name Craford spread in different parts of the world due to migration and colonization. Today, the surname is found in many English-speaking countries including the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. Based on recent census data, Craford appears to be most common in the United States, although numbers continue to vary over time and regions due to spelling variations and other factors. Despite these variations, the surname retains its association with English heritage. Please note that the surname 'Craford' is relatively rare and often may have been misspelled in place of 'Crawford'.

Variations of the surname Craford

The surname Craford, although less common, seems to be a variant of the more common English surname Crawford. Crawford, which is of Scottish origin, is believed to come from a place-name meaning "crow ford" or "ford where crows gather." Alternate spelling and variants of the surname Crawford include Craufurd, Crauford, Crafford, Craafoord, and Krafurd.

Other less common variants might include Crawfford, Crawforde, Crawfurd, Craffurd, and Crawfort. Misspellings caused by phonetics and transcription errors may also lead to variations of the name. These might include Crayford, Carford, Craftord, Craffort, Kraford, etc.

The Scotland's People database indicates over 90 variant spellings of the name Crawford being used between 1553 and 1700. Variations could also arise as people emigrated from Scotland and England to other countries, adapting the name to better fit the language and orthography of their new homelands.

As for the related surnames, the surname Ford could be connected to the Craford/Crawford through its meaning "ford." However, it's unlikely to share the same origin because the origins of Ford are Anglo-Saxon, while Crawford is of Scottish origin. Aside from that, Crawford doesn't seem to have many other related surnames.

Famous people with the name Craford

• Cindy Crawford: American model, television personality, businesswoman, and actress.
• Brandon Crawford: Professional American baseball shortstop for the San Francisco Giants.
• Jan Crawford: American television journalist and author.
• Larry Crawford: Retired American professional basketball player.
• Tasha Crawford: American actress and singer.
• Henrik Crawford: Olympic sailor in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
• Joanna Crawford: Australian professional women's basketball player.
• Emma Crawford: English singer and former member of girl group StooShe.
• David Crawford: American professional baseball player.
• Barry Crawford: American actor and comedian.
• Ozell Crawford: Retired professional basketball player.
• Rebecca Crawford: American professional volleyball player.
• Chris Crawford: American professional basketball player.
• Paul Crawford: American actor, television producer, director, and writer.
• Fred Crawford: Former professional American football quarterback.
• Ron Crawford: Former professional American football player.
• Wilbur Crawford: Professional athlete who competed mainly in the discus throw.
• Mark Crawford: English professional footballer.
• John Crawford: Professional American football player.
• Tish Crawford: American professional basketball player.

Other surnames

Crafoord