CROWTHER
The surname Crowther is of English origin and is primarily descriptive of a person’s dwelling or occupation in the British Isles.
Its earliest recorded form appears in the Hundred Rolls of Kent as Richard le Cruder in 1273, a period when surnames were becoming fixed. Subsequent examples such as Hugo le Crouder of Leicestershire (1278) and Kenwick le Cruther of Cheshire (1289) indicate a spread across southern and western England during the late thirteenth century.
Derivation from Old English shows the name to be a compound of crow (“crowe”) and village (“thorp”), giving the literal meaning dweller at the crow village or one who comes from the village of crows. As such it is a topographical surname referring to a settlement rich with crows, a natural landmark that would have been recognisable to contemporary inhabitants.
Alternately, the surname may have emerged from the medieval musician’s occupation. The 12th‑century word croude, related to the early Welsh crwth, denoted a bowed stringed instrument similar to a fiddle or violin. Variants such as Crowder, Crother and Crewther reflect this musical association, which is also recorded in literary references to the instrument in the early Tudor period.
Another possible origin is from the Old English word croua, meaning hill, mound or tomb. Accordingly, Crowther could have been a locative name for someone who lived upon such a hill, or a nickname for a bald or balding person, as the term was occasionally applied to a “bald mountain”. The name is also known to be an Anglicised form of the Irish clan name O’Cruthir, deriving from cruth (“form” or “figure”) and ir (“lord” or “chief”).
In the 17th century, a notable emigrant named Hugh Crowder departed London aboard the ship Bona Nova in 1619 and is recorded in the muster of settlers for James City, Virginia, making him one of the earliest documented bearers of the name in the New England colonies.
The surname has continued to spread beyond the British Isles. In the United Kingdom today it is most concentrated in the North West, especially in Lancashire, Sheffield and Yorkshire, and remains common in England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland. In the United States an estimated five thousand individuals carry the surname, while in Australia the figure is about one thousand. Significant numbers are also recorded in Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and European countries such as Norway and Denmark.
Variants and spelling differences are numerous, including Crowder, Crother, Crewther, Crowter, Germanic forms such as Kreutzer or Krutzer, and a host of related names such as Kratz, Kreiser and Krause. This diversity reflects the surname’s multiple independent origins and the migration of families with differing linguistic backgrounds.
Typical given names associated with the Crowther surname
Male
- Andrew
- David
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Richard
- Robert
- Stephen
Female
- Carol
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Helen
- Jane
- Julie
- Margaret
- Mary
- Nicola
- Patricia
- 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 Crowther in...
Braille
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Morse
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Semaphore
Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname Crowther are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Custard Cream.
There are approximately 10,572 people named Crowther in the UK. That makes it the 873rd most common surname in Britain. Around 162 in a million people in Britain are named Crowther.
Surname type: Occupational name
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Crowther
- Leslie Crowther - Comedian (1933 to 1996)
- Liz Crowther - Actress
- Patricia Crowther - Wiccan
- Antony Crowther - Video game designer and programmer
- Geoffrey Crowther, Baron Crowther - Economist and journalist (1907 to 1972)
- Stan Crowther - Football player (1935 to 2014)
- Ryan Crowther - Football player
- Arthur Crowther - Cricketer (1878 to 1946)
- Kitty Crowther - Belgian children's illustrator and writer
- Bertha Crowther - Athlete (1921 to 2007)
- Herbert Crowther - Cyclist (1882 to 1916)
- Peter Crowther - Welsh cricketer
- Frank Crowther - American politician (1870 to 1955)
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.