Crim
A rare surname that may be a shortened form of names like Crimble or a regional nickname, but its exact origin is uncertain.
The #7,328 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 67,826 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The surname Crim is not well established in the historical excerpts provided, and the name does not appear there as a clear dictionary headword. In English surname studies, short forms like this are often explained as clipped versions of longer local or family names, or as spellings that arose from dialect and record-keeping variation. Because the evidence here is too thin for a secure derivation, its literal meaning remains uncertain.
History
The surname is uncommon in the United States, where it appears as a small but established family name. Historical records show related-looking spellings and occurrences, but not enough to tie Crim confidently to a single medieval source-name. As with many short surnames, different branches may have developed independently.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The word "crim" also turns up in older legal shorthand and unrelated contexts, so not every historical appearance of the spelling refers to the surname.
From the historical record
“Yotka. pp. ajj-j. CriM^miideBlakebnTii, 1179: ibid. JobaniK* dr Blakebom, 1179: Ibid. ^)oha dE Blnkcbamc, 1397: Pmton '— "SJ^imr”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with special American instances