Craig surname meaning
A chiefly Scottish topographic surname for someone living near a steep or precipitous rock or crag.
Confidence: Likely. The main story is well supported; some details of the deeper root are less certain.
The short story
Craig is chiefly a Scottish topographic surname from Older Scots craig or crag, a steep or precipitous rock. It could identify someone who lived beside a prominent rocky feature, much as the English surname Cragg does. A Manx Gaelic route from Mac Concharraige, “son of Cu Charraige” or hound of the rock, is also recorded, showing that similar-looking names need not share one path. Cragg, Craigg, and Craige are spelling neighbors. Place is the best catalog type, with likely confidence because the Scottish landscape meaning is strong but regional alternatives remain possible.
Also seen as: Cragg, Craigg, Craige, MacCraige
- Ancestry, Dictionary of American Family Names entry 'Craig' (Scottish topographic origin)
- Etymonline, 'Craig' (Older Scots crag/craig and rock sense)
- Names2020_LastNames_RaceHispanic_Top1000.xlsx (2020 Census)