Crenshaw
What is the origin of the last name Crenshaw?
Meaning and origin
The last name Crenshaw is of English origin, combining the elements "cren," meaning "notched or scalloped edge," and "shaw," meaning "wood" or "grove." This name likely originated as a topographic or locational surname, given to someone who lived near a grove with notched or serrated edges. Over time, the name Crenshaw has become widely dispersed and has seen variations in spelling and regional adaptations.
The longer story
Its origins can be traced back to the medieval period, specifically to the region surrounding the city of Canterbury in southeastern England.
One of the most significant facts about the Crenshaw surname is its association with the Anglo-Saxon occupation of Britain. The name itself has Old English roots, derived from the elements "cren," meaning "notched" or "scalloped," and "scy," meaning "shelter" or "enclosure." This suggests that Crenshaw originally referred to someone who resided near or in a notched or scalloped shelter or enclosure.
Another important aspect of the Crenshaw name is its prevalence in the southeastern United States, particularly in states such as Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
Surname origins are rarely settled: one spelling can have several sources, and families often took a name for reasons nobody wrote down. Check it against the sources below before you rely on it.
#1,995
Crenshaw was the 1,995th most common surname in the 2010 US Census, with 18,096 people, about 5.9 in every 100,000.
Who carries it
Surnames like Crenshaw
Names it is linked with, then names with the same origin and a similar standing.
Check the sources
- Forebears: where Crenshaw is found around the world
- The Internet Surname Database: a second opinion on the origin
- US Census Bureau: the 2010 surname figures used here
For a name you are serious about, compare the dictionaries: Reaney and Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames; Hanks, Dictionary of American Family Names.