Show ContentsCribbs History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Cribbs is a name that was brought to England by the ancestors of the Cribbs family when they emigrated following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name Cribbs comes from the Old English given name Crispin, which derives from a Latin nickname which means curly-haired. [1] Much of the popularity of the name in the early Middle Ages is a result of the popularity of St. Crispin, who was martyred at Soissons in 285 AD.

Early Origins of the Cribbs family

The surname Cribbs was first found in Oxfordshire where they had been granted the lands of Cowley by William the Conqueror for their assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The source Old English Bynames lists the name in the Latin form: Benedictus Crispus c.1030 as the first record of the family. Almost two hundred years later, Walter Crips was listed in the source Early London Personal Names as living there c. 1200. [2] Later the family became well established in Norfolk, where they are to this day well known.

In Norfolk, the family goes back at least as far as the 14th century. "In 1388, Richard Crispe was patron of the living of Cockthorp, to which he presented one of the family; another Richard Crispe was buried in Erenze church in 1517." [3] The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list the following: Robert le Crespe in Oxfordshire; Thomas le Crespe in Somerset; and Gilbert le Crispe in Oxfordshire. [1]

Early History of the Cribbs family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cribbs research. Another 242 words (17 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1533, 1599, 1600, 1603, 1625, 1628, 1630, 1643, 1666, 1692, 1749 and 1788 are included under the topic Early Cribbs History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cribbs Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years the English language had no fixed system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations occurred commonly in Anglo Norman surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Cribbs were recorded, including Crisp, Cripps, Crispin, Crispe, Crisppin, Crispp and many more.

Early Notables of the Cribbs family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Nicholas Crisp (1599?-1666), English Royalist, descended from a family possessing estates in Gloucestershire and engaged in trade in London; Ellis Crisp (died 1625), Sheriff of London; Tobias Crisp D.D. (1600-1643), an English clergyman and reputed antinomian; and Sir Nicholas Crispe, 1st Baronet (c.1599-1666), an English Royalist and a wealthy merchant who pioneered the...
Another 61 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Cribbs Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cribbs Ranking

In the United States, the name Cribbs is the 6,500th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. [4]

Ireland Migration of the Cribbs family to Ireland

Some of the Cribbs family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Cribbs migration to the United States +

The unstable environment in England at this time caused numerous families to board ships and leave in search of opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad in places like Ireland, Australia, and particularly the New World. The voyage was extremely difficult, however, and only taken at great expense. The cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels caused many to arrive diseased and starving, not to mention destitute from the enormous cost. Still opportunity in the emerging nations of Canada and the United States was far greater than at home and many went on to make important contributions to the cultures of their adopted countries. An examination of many early immigration records reveals that people bearing the name Cribbs arrived in North America very early:

Cribbs Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Annie Cribbs, aged 24, who immigrated to the United States from Ireland, in 1892
  • Annie Cribbs, aged 25, who landed in America, in 1895
Cribbs Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Anna Cribbs, aged 40, who immigrated to America, in 1908
  • George Jenks Cribbs, who settled in America, in 1911
  • Mary Cribbs, aged 46, who immigrated to the United States from Glasgow, Scotland, in 1913
  • Emily Cribbs, aged 35, who landed in America from Glasgow, Scotland, in 1913
  • James Cribbs, aged 55, who landed in America, in 1920

Contemporary Notables of the name Cribbs (post 1700) +

  • Claire Linton Cribbs (1912-1985), American two-time All-American basketball player and high school coach
  • Joe Stanier Cribbs (b. 1958), American retired NFL football running back
  • Joshua "Josh" Cribbs (b. 1983), American NFL football wide receiver


  1. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  2. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  3. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  4. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/


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