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Crawford Name Meaning, Origins & History

Crawford

Pronunciation: KRAW-furd

Meaning From the ford of the crows Origin Old English Gender Boy
BOYS RANK
#2,097
TREND
460
GIRLS RANK
#11,158
TREND
1,249
Peak Years
1924, 1917, 1918
Lowest Years
1880, 1885, 1903
Energy Archetype
Cheerful & Expressive

Rank shows the name’s position among U.S. baby names for each gender in 2025. Trend shows how many places it rose or fell since 2024. Rank 1 is the most popular. Based on U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) data. Peak and lowest years are based on the number of boys named Crawford in the available records.

Fun Facts About the Name Crawford

  • More than 4 thousand babies named Crawford: U.S. records list 4,766 babies given the name Crawford from 1880 through 2025. Even 56 girls received the name Crawford - about 1 girl for every 84 boys.

What Does the Name Crawford Mean?

Crawford is a Scottish place name and surname meaning 'crow ford.' It comes from the Old English elements crāwe ('crow') and ford ('ford'). The source is the barony and parish of Crawford in Lanarkshire, Scotland. The name describes a river crossing associated with crows rather than a personal trait or religious idea. Its language of origin is Old English, though the name is Scottish in its historical use and is not Gaelic. As a first name, Crawford is a transferred surname, so it has no separate ancient personal-name etymology.

Crawford Name History & Origins

The place name Crawford gave rise to the surname, which is territorial: it identified a person by the estate or parish of Crawford rather than by a parent, trade, or nickname. In medieval Scotland, landholding families often took hereditary surnames from their lands. The barony of Crawford later passed by marriage into the Lindsay family, whose head was made Earl of Crawford; the title kept the place name in Scottish nobility, while the surname Crawford continued independently among other families.

Older spellings such as Crauford reflect the same place name. The surname spread from Scotland to England, Ireland, and later to North America. As a given name, Crawford is a transferred use of the surname. It appears as a masculine first name in English-speaking countries, often given to preserve a family surname. It does not have an independent origin as a personal name; its meaning and history are those of the Scottish place name and surname.

How Popular is the Name Crawford?

Crawford recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 1924. Its best rank was #443 in 1896.

U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.

Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.

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How the Name Crawford Shapes Your Personality and Life?

You are cheerful and friendly, but are apt to have an emotional life. You like to have several lines of effort going at once. You are a good talker and promoter and seldom worry over anything. At times, you can be impatient, and impulsive. You have the ability to bring an idea to completion. You can express yourself joyously and constructively. You might be psychic, but not know it. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.

You are very intuitive. You have a reservoir of inspired wisdom combined with inherited analytical ability, which could reward you through expressions of spiritual leadership, business analysis, marketing, artistic visions, and scientific research. Operating on spiritual side of your individuality can bring you to the great heights, and drop you off if you neglect your spiritual identity. You are always looking for an opportunity to investigate the unknown, to use and show your mental abilities, to find the purpose and meaning of life. You want to grow wise and to understand people and things. You need privacy to replenish your energy. You have a unique way of thinking, intuitive, reflective, absorbing.

✦ Crawford's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Crawford's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.
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