Crick

The surname Crick is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and it is locational, deriving from any of the numerous places named 'Crick' in various parts of England. These places are recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as 'Crich', 'Cric', and 'Crice', and in the 1155 Pipe Rolls of a county in Berkshire as 'Crich' and in Lincolnshire as 'Crike'. The name itself is thought to derive from the Old English pre-7th Century word 'crike', meaning a cradle or manger, subsequently used in the transferred sense of a protected place. It may also be a topographical surname denoting someone who lived near a prominent crag or hill.

The first recorded instance of the surname Crick dates back to the early 13th century, recorded in the Curia Regis Rolls of Essex in 1205 as 'Ralph de la Crik'. Variants of the surname may include Crikke, Crich, Creak, and Crick.

The Crick surname has been well-documented in British history. Notably, the molecular biologist Francis Crick, along with James Watson, is credited with the discovery of the structure of DNA in 1953. This significant scientific achievement revolutionised the field of genetics.

Today, individuals bearing the surname Crick can be found across the United Kingdom and in various parts of the world, particularly in former British colonies. The name has retained its historical and locational significance, serving as a reminder of the ancestral roots of many families.

There are approximately 2,857 people named Crick in the UK. That makes it roughly the 3,124th most common surname in Britain. Around 44 in a million people in Britain are named Crick.

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

Typical given names associated with the surname

Male

  • Andrew
  • David
  • James
  • John
  • Karl
  • Michael
  • Paul
  • Peter
  • Robert
  • Simon
  • Stephen

Female

  • Ann
  • Elizabeth
  • Emma
  • Jane
  • Jennifer
  • Joanne
  • Julie
  • Linda
  • Louise
  • Margaret
  • Patricia
  • Pauline
  • Sarah
  • Susan

Similar and related surnames

Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.

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