Crenshaw
A surname most likely from an English place-name, meaning someone who lived near a crane wood or crane enclosure.
The #1,995 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 17,062 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Crenshaw is generally treated as an English locational surname. It is often explained as coming from a place-name built from Old English elements for "crane" and "wood" or "enclosure," pointing to a place associated with cranes or a marshy, wooded area where cranes were found. As with many English surnames of this type, the exact place behind the name is not always certain.
History
The name appears to have developed in England and later spread to North America with English migration. In the United States, Crenshaw became established as a family name and also appears in place-names, most famously Crenshaw in Los Angeles and Crenshaw County, Alabama. The surname is now most familiar in the U.S., though it remains relatively uncommon overall.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Crenshaw is also a well-known U.S. place-name, which has helped keep the surname visible in maps and everyday speech.