The Christmas surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 5,599 people carried this name — #6,122 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 52,600 people counted. That is up 8% from 5,204 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Christmas surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a baptismal name, from a given name: ‘the son of Christmas’.

An early record he cites: Felicia Cristemasse, Huntingdonshire, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

His entry covers Christmas and Chrismas.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 180 · public domain.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Christmas was found among the farmers of 4 counties.

It was most frequent in Surrey: 25 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 400. Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Surrey 25
Cambridgeshire 24
Hampshire 17
Huntingdonshire 14

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In print

Christmas in American newspapers,
1881–1899.

Newspaper page from The Evening Critic carrying the name Christmas
The Evening Critic 1881-06-27
Newspaper page from National Republican carrying the name Christmas
National Republican 1881-06-27
Newspaper page from The Philipsburg Mail carrying the name Christmas
The Philipsburg Mail 1899-05-26

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 1,053 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Christmas in Australian newspapers,
1820s–2010s.

20,597 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Christmas. The most, 3,744, date from the 1930s. Queensland has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in South Australia, at 1.4 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Queensland 5,400
New South Wales 5,168
South Australia 3,282
Victoria 3,024
Western Australia 2,339
Tasmania 1,117
ACT (Canberra) 185
Northern Territory 11

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Christmas.

Who carried it

People named Christmas,
with a public archive behind them.

  • John Christmas d. 1646
  • Thomas Christmas d. 1749
  • Thomas Christmas d. 1747
  • Alicia Christmas d. 1847
  • Gerard Christmas 1576–1634 · architect
  • Gerard Christmas 1576–1634 · architect

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Christmas,
in the records of 6 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States378 records

378 records of the Christmas name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 156
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 81
  • Other U.S. records 141
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Leroy Christmas

    Born 1900 in Texas. Enlisted 1942 at Fort Sam Houston; porter from Bexar County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1995, buried at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, Texas.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Loye Thomas Christmas

    Born 1943; from Jacksonville, Florida. U.S. Army, infantryman; killed in action 1964 in South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Willaim Christmas

    Arrived at New York in 1835 aboard the Neptune from London, aged 23; stone mason. From England; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 378 records for Christmas in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia313 records

313 records of the Christmas name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 132
  • Tasmanian Names Index 66
  • Other Australian records 115
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Henry Rothwell Christmas

    Died 1914 in Granville Street, Prospect, Tasmania. Will registered in Tasmania in 1914.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record John Christmas

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Midas, arriving 1827; ticket of leave 1843.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Edwd Christmas

    Arrived in Victoria in 1855 aboard the Mermaid, aged 40; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 313 records for Christmas in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada59 records

59 records of the Christmas name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 52
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 3
  • Other Canadian records 4
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Jas Christmas

    Came to Ontario in 1870 aboard the Lake Erie, landing at Quebec, bound for Bracebridge, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Herbert Noel Christmas

    Buried in 1981 at Union Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 69.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Mary Christmas

    Died 1907 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 59 records for Christmas in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

United Kingdom17 records

17 records of the Christmas name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 9
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 7
  • Welsh wills index cards 1
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record William Christmas

    Will proved in 1929; of Burry Port, Carmarthenshire.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Elizabeth Christmas

    Buried in 1810 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 30.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record A. J. Christmas

    Shropshire Light Infantry. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 17 records for Christmas in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

New Zealand11 records

11 records of the Christmas name in New Zealand Christchurch City cemetery records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Fred Christmas

    Died 1958, aged 77; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Alfred Christmas

    Died 1976, aged 76; buried at Lyttelton Catholic Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Harriet Christmas

    Died 1906, aged 54; buried at Sydenham Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 11 records for Christmas in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

France2 records

2 records of the Christmas name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Mary Netelia Christmas

    Born 1956 in Dominique; died 1993 in Basse-Terre (Guadeloupe).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 1 of 2 records for Christmas in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Christmas.

When the index is not enough

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