Crittenden History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Crittenden has a long Anglo-Saxon heritage. The name comes from when a family lived in the village of Crotynden (Crittenden or Cruttenden) in West Kent. This lost village is thought to have derived its name from the Old English personal name Gu(dh)here + Old English "-ing" and "denn," literally meaning "person living near a woodland pasture." (Oxford)

Another source claims the name was derived from "the cot on the lower hill; from cru, a cot; tane, lower, and dun or din, a hill; or it may be the chalk hill, from krit, Saxon, chalk." 1

Early Origins of the Crittenden family

The surname Crittenden was first found in West Kent at Crittenden. While this is the generally accepted origin of the name one source claims the family originally "came from Criddon, formerly Critendone (Cridela's hill), in Shropshire." 2

Early History of the Crittenden family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Crittenden research. Another 77 words (6 lines of text) covering the year 1481 is included under the topic Early Crittenden History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Crittenden Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Crittenden have been found, including Crittenden, Cruttenden, Critenden, Crutenden and many more.

Early Notables of the Crittenden family

More information is included under the topic Early Crittenden Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Crittenden Ranking

In the United States, the name Crittenden is the 3,976^th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 3

Crittenden migration to the United States +

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Crittenden, or a variant listed above:

Crittenden Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

R H Crittenden, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1850 4
George Crittenden who arrived in San Francisco in 1852 with his wife, six children, and two servants
C S Crittenden, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1860 4
Albert Crittenden, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1876

Crittenden migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Crittenden Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Samuel Crittenden, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Asia" in 1839 5
Jemima Crittenden, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Asia" in 1839 5
Sarah Crittenden, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Asia" in 1839 5
Ann Crittenden, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Asia" in 1839 5
John Crittenden, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Asia" in 1839 5

Contemporary Notables of the name Crittenden (post 1700) +

Dianne Crittenden (1941-2024), American casting director
Flora Lonette Davis Crittenden (1924-2021), American educator in Virginia and civil rights activist and politician, Member of the Virginia House of Delegates (1993-2004)
Howard Royce "Howie" Crittenden (1933-2013), American college basketball player and coach
Thomas Turpin Crittenden (1825-1905), American Union general in the American Civil War
Thomas Theodore Crittenden Jr. (1863-1938), American politician, Mayor of Kansas City, Missouri from 1908 to 1909
Thomas Theodore Crittenden (1832-1909), United States colonel during the American Civil War, 24th Governor of Missouri from 1881 to 1885
Robert Crittenden (1797-1834), American attorney and politician, temporary Governor of Arkansas Territory, co-founder of the Rose Law Firm
John Jordan Crittenden III (1854-1876), American officer killed at the Battle of Little Big Horn with General Custer
John Crittenden (1754-1809), American Major in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War
Jennifer Crittenden (b. 1969), American five-time Primetime Emmy Award nominated screenwriter and producer, her works include Everybody Loves Raymond and Seinfeld
... (Another 8 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Crittenden family +

HMS Repulse

Mr. Frederick Crittenden, British Chief Petty Officer, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 6

Citations +

Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
State Library of South Australia. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) ASIA 1839 from London with Captain Benjamin Freeman and 245 passengers, arrived Port Adelaide on 16-07-1839. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1839Asia-list.htm
HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html