The Craft surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 31,452 people carried this name — #1,116 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 9,380 people counted. That is up 3% from 30,653 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Craft surname

As an English surname, from the noun craft.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Craft» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a local name, from where the family lived: ‘at the croft’.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 213 · public domain.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

121 families named Craft, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 677 people lived in those households, 5.6 to a family on average. The census counted these spellings together: Craft, Crafd, Crafft, Crafts, Krafft, Kraft. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Massachusetts 32
New York 27
Pennsylvania 24
North Carolina 9
Connecticut 6
Maine 5
Maryland 5
South Carolina 5
New Hampshire 3
Virginia 3
Vermont 1
Rhode Island 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 235 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Craft in American newspapers,
1903–1919.

Newspaper page from The Sea Coast Echo carrying the name Craft
The Sea Coast Echo 1919-05-17
Newspaper page from Hattiesburg Daily Progress carrying the name Craft
Hattiesburg Daily Progress 1903-12-22
Newspaper page from The Mitchell Capital carrying the name Craft
The Mitchell Capital 1907-11-08

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 4,924 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Craft in Australian newspapers,
1810s–1990s.

9,124 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Craft. The most, 1,997, date from the 1910s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in New South Wales, at 1.9 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 5,699
Queensland 1,083
Victoria 910
Western Australia 569
South Australia 541
Tasmania 179
ACT (Canberra) 128
Northern Territory 2

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

Who carried it

People named Craft,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Elizabeth Craft White
    Elizabeth Craft White 1747–1839
  • Ellen Craft
    Ellen Craft 1826–1891 · writer
  • Henry Kempton Craft d. 1974
  • Ursula Craft 1619–1679
  • Samuel Craft 1667–1709
  • William H. Craft 1733–1811 · painter

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Craft,
in the records of 7 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 States2,158 records

2,158 records of the Craft name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 1,067
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 415
  • Other U.S. records 676
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record James Craft

    Born 1947; from Houston, Texas. U.S. Army, general construction equipment operator; died in an accident 1968 in Kontum, South Vietnam. Buried at Houston National Cemetery, Texas.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Warren H. Craft

    Born 1921 in Minnesota. Enlisted 1941 at Minneapolis; messenger from Hennepin County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1970, buried at Fort Snelling National Cemetery, Minnesota.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Ellen Craft

    Arrived at New York in 1851 aboard the Lady Peel from Limerick, aged 26; servant. From Ireland.

    U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain)

Showing 3 of 2,158 records for Craft 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) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Netherlands318 records

318 records of the Craft name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 201
  • Dutch population registers 96
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 21
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Helena Craft

    Married in 1889 in Maastricht; "inpakster". Died 1949 in Maastricht, aged 81.

    Open Archives, Regionaal Historisch Centrum Limburg (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Charalina Charlotta Craft

    Married in 1837 in Utrecht. Died 1887 in Utrecht, aged 78.

    Open Archives, Het Utrechts Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Wilhelmus Craft

    Born 1877 in Maastricht. Married in 1903 in Rotterdam. Died 1950 in Rotterdam, aged 73.

    Open Archives, Regionaal Historisch Centrum Limburg (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 318 records for Craft in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Australia91 records

91 records of the Craft name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 51
  • NSW convict, estate and railway indexes 16
  • Other Australian records 24
  1. 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 Thomas Craft

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Lord William Bentinck, sailing from Portsmouth in 1838. Native of Coventry, Warwickshire.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record George Victor Craft

    Arrived in Queensland in 1928 aboard the Jervis Bay, aged 17.

    Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record William Walter G. Craft

    Retired civil servant of Harare, Zimbabwe; died 1987.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 91 records for Craft in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: 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); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Canada49 records

49 records of the Craft name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 43
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 2
  • 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 Go Craft

    Came to Ontario in 1875 aboard the Peruvian, landing at Portland, bound for Clinton, 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 Alfred Francis Craft

    Buried in 1971 at Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia, aged 56.

    Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Edward Craft

    Died 1930 in Kings, Nova Scotia.

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

Showing 3 of 49 records for Craft in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · 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 Kingdom6 records

6 records of the Craft name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 5
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 1
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record A. Craft

    Corporal, Wiltshire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record R. Craft

    Royal Munster Fusiliers. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1919.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record E. L. Craft

    Lance Corporal, Duke of Wellington's Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

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

Showing 3 of 6 records for Craft 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. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Germany3 records

3 records of the Craft name in Germany Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Wilhelm Craft

    From Cöln. Reported missing in the Prussian casualty list of 8 November 1915 (Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 69).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Frank Craft

    From Böthkenwalde. Reported dead in the Prussian casualty list of 13 September 1915 (Foot Guards Regiment No. 1).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  3. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Wilhelm Adam Craft

    From Cöln. Reported taken prisoner in the Prussian casualty list of 23 December 1915 (Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 69).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0).

France1 record

1 record of the Craft 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 Elisabeth Craft

    Born 1925 in Romania; died 1990 in Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy (Meurthe-et-Moselle).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

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 Craft.

When the index is not enough

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