CRISPIN
Crispin is a surname of English origin, documented in the Domesday Book of 1086. It traces its roots to the medieval given name Crispin, which in turn derives from the Latin name Crispinus. The Latin term conveys the meaning “curly‑haired” or “curly‑headed,” a descriptor that led to the name’s popularity among individuals possessing such a feature during the Middle Ages.
The surname is associated with Christian tradition, particularly through the figure of Saint Crispin, the patron saint of shoemakers, who, together with his brother Saint Crispinian, was martyred at Soissons around 285 AD. The name’s religious significance contributed to its frequent use in both England and France throughout the medieval period.
Historical records attest to the early appearance of the name in English documents. The earliest recorded spelling is that of Milo Crispinus in the Domesday Book, a survey conducted during the reign of King William I, known to history as “William the Conqueror” (1066–1087). In subsequent medieval records, the surname is seen in various spellings: Gilbert Crispin, noted as the first man to receive the nickname; his sons adopted it as a family name, and his grandson held the eminent position of Abbot of Westminster. Further attestations include Turstin Crispin in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1166 and Ralph Crespin in the Pipe Rolls of Devonshire in 1169.
In the early modern period, variations of the name continued to surface. A record from 29 April 1627 at Halesowen in Worcester shows that a boy named Robert, son of Robert Crippin, was christened, illustrating the persistence of the surname in ecclesiastical documents.
Contemporary forms of the surname include Crispin, Crepin, Crippen, and Chrispin. These variants reflect orthographic changes over centuries, yet they all share the same etymological origin. The name remains in use throughout the United Kingdom and abroad, preserving its medieval roots within modern naming practices.
Typical given names associated with the Crispin surname
Male
- Andrew
- David
- James
- John
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Richard
- Robert
- Simon
- William
Female
- Alison
- Barbara
- Christine
- Elizabeth
- Helen
- Janet
- Janice
- Margaret
- Michelle
- Nicola
- 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 Crispin in...
Braille
⠉⠗⠊⠎⠏⠊⠝
Morse
-.-..-.......--...-.
Semaphore
There are approximately 1,040 people named Crispin in the UK. That makes it roughly the 7,150th most common surname in Britain. Around 16 in a million people in Britain are named Crispin.
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Crispin
- Edmund Crispin - Composer and crime novelist (1921 to 1978)
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.