CRABTREE
Crabtree is an English surname, originating in the British Isles.
The name is topographical in nature, deriving from the Old English words crabba meaning "crab" or "crab-apple" and treow meaning "tree". It was originally applied to a person who dwelt near a crab-apple tree or at a location named for such a tree. The formation of such surnames was common in the Middle Ages, when natural and man-made features were used as identifying markers within small communities.
The earliest recorded spelling is that of John atte Crabbetrywe, dated 1301 in the Parliament Rolls of Essex, during the reign of King Edward I (1272‑1307). In 1379 a John Crabtree appears in the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire, confirming the name’s presence in northern England during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries.
Records indicate that the surname spread across England by the later sixteenth century. On 22 January 1559 John Crabtree married Margery Colton at St. Margaret Pattens in London, while on 2 September 1635 Edward Crabbtree (aged 20) departed London aboard the ship David bound for Virginia. He represents one of the earliest documented bearers of the name to establish residence in the New World.
Notable individuals bearing the surname include William Crabtree (1610–1644), an astronomer recorded in the Dictionary of National Biography. He collaborated with Jeremiah Horrocks in observing the transit of Venus across the sun on 24 November 1639, an observation of significant scientific importance during that period.
Overall, the Crabtree surname exemplifies the traditional English practice of assigning names based on geographical features, and its documented history demonstrates a long-standing presence in both England and America.
Typical given names associated with the Crabtree surname
Male
- Andrew
- David
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Richard
- Robert
Female
- Carol
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Helen
- Janet
- Joanne
- Julie
- Karen
- Margaret
- Mary
- Rachel
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Crabtree in...
Braille
⠉⠗⠁⠃⠞⠗⠑⠑
Morse
-.-..-..--...-.-...
Semaphore
There are approximately 6,009 people named Crabtree in the UK. That makes it roughly the 1,579th most common surname in Britain. Around 92 in a million people in Britain are named Crabtree.
Surname type: Location or geographical feature
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Crabtree
- Shirley Crabtree - Professional wrestler (1930 to 1997)
- Joe Crabtree - Drummer
- Eorl Crabtree - Rugby league player
- Arthur Crabtree - Film director (1900 to 1975)
- Harry Crabtree - Cricketer (1906 to 1982)
- Jimmy Crabtree - Football player (1871 to 1908)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.