Origin
Cross : 1: English: topographic name for someone who lived near a cross such as one set up by the roadside or in a marketplace from Middle English cros (Old English cros and Old Norse kross ultimately from Latin crux crucem). It is commonly Latinized in medieval records as ad crucem and de Cruce but examples of this can just as well belong to the synonymous but less common name Crouch. In a few cases the surname may have been given originally to someone who lived by a crossroads but this sense of the word seems to have been a comparatively late development. In other cases the surname (and its European cognates; see 3 below) may have denoted someone who carried the cross in processions of the Christian Church but in English at least the usual word for this sense was Crozier.2: Irish: shortened form of McCrossen.3: Americanized form (translation into English) of various European surnames meaning ‘cross’ or ‘the cross’ such as French Lacroix German Kreutz and Slovenian and Croatian Križ (see Kriz).4: Americanized form of German Kross.
Bickell : 1: English (Devon): habitational name from Bickell Cross in Swimbridge Devon named with the Old English personal name Bicca + hyll. Bickell Cross belonged to the tithing of the adjacent parish of Bishops Tawton.2: Americanized form of Dutch or German Bickel.
Bulstrode : from Bulstrode in Gerrard's Cross (Bucks). The place-name is from Old English *bula ‘bull’ + strōd ‘overgrown marsh’.
Buzek : 1: Czech and Polish; Slovak (Búzek): from a pet form of the personal name Budislav Polish Budzisław based on the element bud ‘to inspire’ (from Old Slavic buditi).3: Polish: nickname derived from buza ‘rebuke’ buzować ‘to scold to be cross with somebody’.2: Czech (Bůžek) and Slovak (Bužek): from a diminutive of any of several personal names based on Slavic Bog ‘God’ such as Czech Božetěch.
Callingham : apparently from North or South Collingham (WR Yorks) or Collingham (Notts) though in modern times overwhelmingly a name of SE England. The surname may therefore occasionally derive from Collingham Field and Cross in Dallington and Brightling (Sussex) recorded in 1615 (East Sussex Record Office) unless this place takes its name from the surname.
Canby : English (Lancashire and Yorkshire): probably a habitational name from Caenby in Lincolnshire named with the Old Norse personal name Kafni + bȳ ‘farmstead’. However it may also be a shortened form of a habitational name from Cross Canonby (Cumbria) or Carnaby (East Yorkshire).
Croce : Italian:: 1: from croce ‘cross’ (from Latin crux genitive crucis) applied as a topographic name for someone who lived by a roadside cross or a nickname for someone who carried the cross in religious processions. Compare English Cross.2: from the Christian religious personal name Croce of the same origin as 1 above. Compare Di Croce.
Crosskey : probably from the long-established Cross Keys inn (dating from at least the 1680s VCH) in Lower Edmonton (Middx) adjacent to Enfield.
Crossley : English (Yorkshire and Lancashire): habitational name from Crossley in Mirfield Yorkshire named from Old English cros ‘cross’ + lēah ‘woodland clearing’. Alternatively a topographic name for someone who lived at a clearing with a cross from Middle English cros + lei(e).
Crossman : 1: English (Somerset and Devon): topographic name for someone who lived by a cross from Middle English cros cros(s)e + man.2: Americanized form of German Crössmann or Krössmann: from Middle Low German krōs krüs ‘pitcher’ and hence a metonymic occupational name for maker of these; alternatively a metonymic occupational name for a butcher from Middle High German kroese ‘tripe’.3: Americanized form of German Grossmann.
Crouch : English (southeastern): from Middle English crouch(e) cruch(e) ‘cross’ (Old English crūc ultimately from Latin crux crucem; the Old English crūc was replaced in Middle English by the word cross from Old Norse kross) applied as a topographic name for someone who lived by a cross.
Croucher : English: topographic name denoting a person who lived by a cross from an agent derivative of Middle English crouche cruche ‘cross’. See also Crouch.
Crouchman : from Middle English crouche cruche ‘cross’ + man perhaps denoting a person who lived by a cross. Compare Crouch.
Crozier : 1: English and Scottish: occupational name for one who carried a cross or a bishop's crook or pastoral staff in ecclesiastical processions from Middle English crosier (Old French crosier crocier crosser). It may also denoted a seller of crosses or as a topographic name a dweller by a cross (compare 2 below).2: French: topographic name for a dweller by a cross or crossroad an agent derivative of croix ‘cross’ (from Latin crux) or a habitational name from Le Crozier in Rhône-Alpes a placename of the same etymology.
Cruz : Spanish and Portuguese:: 1: topographic name for someone who lived by a cross or crossroad from cruz ‘cross’ (from Latin crux) or a habitational name from any of numerous places called (La) Cruz. Compare Spanish Lacruz.2: short form of a surname such as De la Cruz (Spanish) or Da Cruz (Portuguese).
De Ste Croix : denoting someone who lived at a place with a church dedicated to the cult of the holy cross.
Della Croce : Italian: topographic name for someone who lived by a cross (see Croce).
Di Croce : Italian: topographic name for someone who lived by a cross (see Croce 1) or a patronymic from the personal name Croce 2.
Grose : 1: Cornish: topographic name for someone who lived near a stone cross set up by the roadside or in a marketplace Cornish crous (from Latin crux crucis). Compare Cross.2: English (of Norman origin): variant of Gross.
Hallifield : from a minor place named as ‘the holy field’ (Old English hālig ‘holy’ and feld ‘open country’) perhaps Holyfield in Waltham Holy Cross (Essex) or less likely for linguistic reasons Hellifield (WR Yorks).
Hollifield : English: habitational name from a minor place called as ‘the holy field’ (Old English hālig ‘holy’ + feld ‘open country’) perhaps Holyfield in Waltham Holy Cross (Essex) or less likely for linguistic reasons Hellifield (Yorkshire).
Holycross : 1: Possibly an Americanized form (translation into English) of Italian Santa Croce Spanish Santa Cruz or some other southern European surname meaning ‘the Holy Cross’.2: Alternatively perhaps English: habitational name from any of a few places in England called Holy Cross (in County Durham Tyne and Wear Herefordshire). This surname is not found in Britain.
Ketelhut : German: metonymic occupational name for a maker of helmets or perhaps a nickname for someone who wore a helmet. In form the name is a cross between Kesselhut (the standard German form from Middle High German huot ‘helmet’) and Ketelhot (from Low German ketel ‘pot’ + hōt ‘hat helmet’).
Korsen : 1: Dutch: patronymic formed with -sen ‘son’ of Kors. Compare Coursen 2.2: Norwegian: habitational name from any of several farms named Korsen from the definite singular form of kors Old Norse kross ‘cross’ most often referring to a crossroad or a crossing or to a borderline cross. Compare Korson Corson and Karson.
Kreutz : German: topographic name for someone who lived near a cross set up by the roadside in a marketplace or as a field or boundary marker from Middle High German kriuz(e) ‘cross’. Compare Cross.
Kreutzer : 1: German and Swiss German: topographic name for someone who lived near a cross set up by the roadside or in a marketplace from Middle High German kriuz(e) ‘cross’ + the suffix -er denoting an inhabitant.2: German: habitational name for someone from a place called Krögis (recorded as Creuz in 1186) or from some other place similarly named.3: German: in some cases possibly from Middle High German kriuzære kriuzer a term denoting a crusader or Teutonic Knight an allusion to the symbol of the cross worn on the tunic by such knights.4: German: possibly also a metonymic occupational name for a coiner from the same word denoting a small coin marked with the symbol of a cross (in full kriuzerpfenninc).5: Jewish (Ashkenazic): artificial name from Kreutzer the name of the coin (see 4 above).
Kritzman : 1: Americanized form of German Kritzmann: topographic name for someone living near a cross (see Kreutzer).2: Americanized form of German Kritzmann and a variant of the same Jewish (Ashkenazic) surname: occupational name for a gristmiller from Middle High German grütze Yiddish grits ‘grits’ + Middle High German Yiddish man (German Mann) ‘man’.3: Jewish (Ashkenazic): elaborated form of Kritz. Compare Krizman 2.
Kriz : 1: Czech (Kříž) and Slovak (Kríž Križ): from the old personal name Kříž Kríž (literally ‘cross’) or a short form of Kristián (see Christian). Slovak name can also be a habitational name for someone from a place called Kríž named with the word kríž ‘cross’.2: Slovenian and Croatian (Križ): topographic name from križ ‘cross’ applied to someone who lived near a cross set up by the roadside or in the marketplace. Compare Cross Kris Krisch and Krish.
Lacroix : 1: French and Walloon: topographic name from la croix ‘the cross’ for someone who lived near a cross set up by the roadside or in the marketplace or a habitational name for someone from any of several places in various parts of France and in Belgium (Wallonia) named La Croix or Lacroix.2: French and Walloon: from la croix ‘the cross’ used as a soldier's name or as a nickname for someone who carried the cross in church processions. Compare Cross Lacross Lacrosse and Lecroy.3: French Canadian: altered form of French Lagroix a habitational name from La Groye the name of several places in the northwestern part of France. The surname Lagroix is no longer found in France where only a variant without definite article la is registered.
Lanaway : from Llanaways in Godalming (Surrey) which is recorded as Lanways Cross in 1680. The place-name probably derives from lane ‘lane narrow road’ + weg ‘way path road’.
Mauldin : English: habitational name from Maldon (Essex) Maulden (Bedfordshire) or Malden (Surrey). The placenames derive from Old English mǣl ‘monument’ ‘cross’ (crucifix) + dūn ‘hill’ and mean ‘hill with a cross or monument’.
McCrossan : Irish: from Mac an Chrosáin ‘son of the satirist’ a patronymic from crosán a term that originally denoted the bearer of a cross in a religious procession.
McCrossen : Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac an Chrosáin ‘son of the satirist’ a patronymic from crosán ‘reciter of satirical verse satirist’ (originally a cross bearer in a religious procession).
Morehen : 1: from Middle English mor-hen ‘moorhen’. Some of the post-medieval bearers given here may belong to (2). 2: from Moorend Cross in Mathon (Herefs formerly Worcs) or from any of many other places similarly named (from Middle English mor + ende ‘end of the moor or marsh’) such as Moor End in Yardley Gobion (Northants) Moor End in Gnosall (Staffs) and Moor End in Cheltenham (Gloucs).
Mulderig : Irish: variant of Mulderrig an Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Maoildeirg ‘descendant of Maoilderg’ a personal name meaning ‘red youth’. For this reason Reddington Reid and Rutledge were sometimes adopted as Anglicized forms. However it appears that Mulderrig began as a re-interpreted variant of Ó Maoilgheiric ‘descendant of the devotee of (Saint) Cyriacus’ a Donegal surname. Saint Cyriacus was the finder of Christ's cross according to the Martyrology of Oengus (May 12). This form of the surname is rare in Britain and Ireland and is now found chiefly in Yorkshire.
Mulderrig : from Ó Maoildeirg ‘descendant of Maoilderg’ a personal name meaning ‘red youth’. For this reason Reddington Reid and Rutledge were sometimes adopted as anglicized forms. However it appears that Mulderrig began as a re-interpreted variant of Ó Maoilgheiric ‘descendant of the devotee of (Saint) Cyriacus’ a Donegal surname. Saint Cyriacus was the finder of Christ’s cross according to the Martyrology of Oengus (May 12).
Pockney : from any of several minor places so named such as Puckney in Shermanbury Puckney in Ashburnham and Puckney Cross (all in Sussex). The etymologies of the place-names cannot be certain due to a lack of early forms.
Rood : 1: Dutch: nickname for someone with red hair from Middle Dutch ro(e)de ‘red’.2: English: topographic name for someone who lived by a village or town cross (Middle English rōde roode Old English rōd(e)).3: English: topographic name for someone who lived by a woodland clearing from an unrecorded Middle English rōd(e) rood Old English rēod(e). This name would have been synonymous with Road (see Rhode 1) and the two names were therefore interchangeable especially in Somerset and Devon.4: English: in Devon a post-medieval spelling of Rude.5: Americanized form of Norwegian Ruud or Rud.
Rounsefell : from Roncesvalles in Navarre (Spain) where there was a Priory of Saint Mary of which the Hospital of Our Lady of Rouncevale at Charing Cross London was a cell.
Rounseville : English: from Roncesvalles the name of a village in Navarre (Spain) where there was a Priory of Saint Mary of which the Hospital of Our Lady of Rouncevale at Charing Cross London was a cell. This placename (in French: Roncevaux) is famous in history for the battle of Roncevaux Pass in 778 during which Charlemagne's rear guard was destroyed by Basques. This form of the surname is no longer found in Britain.
Rudston : from Rudston (ER Yorks) which is recorded as Rodestan in 1086. The place-name derives from Old English *rōd-stān ‘stone cross rood stone’ (rōd ‘rood cross’ stān ‘stone’) probably describing the monolith in the village churchyard.
Sandcraft : from Sandcroft in South Elmham (Suffolk) a place-name surviving only in an altered form as the affix in South Elmham Saint Cross. It derives from Middle English sand ‘sand’ + croft ‘croft small piece of land used for agricultural purposes’. Craft is a common dialect pronunciation of croft.
Shallcross : English (Cheshire): habitational name from Shallcross in Fernilee (Derbyshire) from Old English sceacol ‘shackle’ + cros ‘cross’ perhaps denoting a cross to which penitents could be fettered.
Stavros : Greek: from a personal name based on the vocabulary word stavros ‘cross’ (classical Greek stauros) originally meaning ‘stake’. The adoption of the word as a personal name is associated with the Christian Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (September 14) in the Eastern Church commemorating Emperor Heraclius’ recovery of the Holy Cross from the Persians in 630.
Travis : 1: English (mainly Lancashire and Yorkshire): from Old French and Middle English travers also Middle English travas travis a word with several meanings. It may denote a toll paid for the right to cross a boundary or bridge the surname perhaps being for someone who paid or collected such tolls. Alternatively it may mean ‘crosswise sideways’ or ‘dispute disagreement’. The Old French word also had the sense ‘crossing passage’ and it is more than likely that the surname is Norman in origin for someone who lived at a crossing place or at a place so named (compare French Travers 3). The presence of the preposition ‘de’ (and perhaps also ‘le’) in early forms of the surname appears to indicate a topographic or habitational explanation but the French preposition and definite article were sometimes added gratuitously to Norman surnames as a sign of their high social status. See also Travers 1.2: Americanized form of German Drewes.
Upsher : English: habitational name from Upshire in Waltham Holy Cross (Essex) which derives from Old English upp ‘upper’ + scīr ‘district’. Compare Abshire.
Veracruz : 1: Spanish: from a Christian religious byname derived from Latin Vera Crux ‘True Cross’ the name for a Christian relic reputed physical remnants of the cross on which Jesus was crucified.2: Hispanic (Mexico): habitational name from Veracruz the name of a state in Mexico of the same etymology as in 1 above.
Vercruysse : Dutch and Flemish: topographic name for someone who lived by a cross.
Wheddon : from Wheddon Farm Wheddon Cross in Cutcombe (Somerset) recorded as Wheteden and Whetedon in 1253 or perhaps Wheadown Farm in Witheridge (Devon) which is recorded as Wheydoune in 1294 and Weydon in 1295. The Somerset place-name derives from Old English hwǣte ‘wheat’ + denu ‘valley’ or dūn ‘hill’. The Devon place-name probably derives from Old English hwǣg ‘whey’ perhaps also meaning ‘sour land’ + dūn.
Whedon : English: habitational name from Wheddon Farm and Wheddon Cross in Cutcombe (Somerset) or perhaps Wheadown Farm in Witheridge (Devon). The Somerset placename derives from Old English hwǣte ‘wheat’ + denu ‘valley’ or dūn ‘hill’. The Devon placename probably derives from Old English hwǣg ‘whey’ perhaps also meaning ‘sour land’ + dūn. Compare Wheadon.
Whitecross : from either or both of Whitecross (in Garioch Aberdeens and in Stirlings). The place-name is from Scots white ‘white’ + cross in some such sense as ‘crossing-place’. The place in Garioch is recorded as Quitecors 1511 in Great Seal of Scotland Whytecorse 1670 in Acts of Parliaments of Scotland.in England perhaps a variant of Whitecroft since the elements cross and croft may be confused in late records. But possibly migrated examples of (i).
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Source : DAFN2 : Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, ©2022 by Patrick Hanks and Oxford University Press
FANBI : The Oxford Dictionary if Family Names in Britain and Ireland, ©2016, University of the West of England
FANBI : The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain, ©2021, University of the West of England
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