Recorded as Craden, Craiden, Crayden, Craydon, this is an English surname. It is locational, and maybe from the town and former village of Croydon in Surrey, or more likely is from some 'now' lost medieval site, of which the only reminder in the late 20th century is the surname itself. This is well recorded in the surviving registers of the diocese of Greater London as shown below. Surnames from lost medieval villages are quite a popular feature of the surname listings, and it estimated that at least five thousand spellings do have originate from such sources. As to why so many villages have disappeared, has been the subject ogf several books, but the most usual explanation is either changes in agricultural and land owning practices, or the various Great Plagues which swept the British Isles in medieval times. Locational names are also 'from' names. That is to say names given to people after they left their village to move somewhere else. These people were given or simply took as their surname, the name of their former village as easy identification. These early recordings include Anne Craden, the daughter of William Craden, who was christened at the church of All Hallows, the Less, in the city of London, on June 29th 1598, whilst at the same church on August 24th 1606, William Crayden, the son of one Robert Crayden was christened there. The name is probably from the pre 7th century Olde English 'Crau-denu' or crow hill.