The word crap derives from the surname of the British plumber Thomas Crapper.

the verdict

REFUTED

the evidence says no

Recorded sources

0 sources for · 1 against

Counts group repeated records of the same source within each side. They do not measure evidence strength or source independence.

Is it true that the word crap derives from the surname of the British plumber Thomas Crapper?

No. A Wikipedia article on Thomas Crapper states the popular claim that 'crap' derives from his name, but explains the word is of Middle English origin, predating its application to bodily waste and recorded in that sense in 1846, ten years after Crapper was born.

Verdict: REFUTED · 0 sources for, 1 against · Last checked 2 Oct 2026

The private library was unavailable for some searches in this check. Missing library results are not evidence against the claim.

Evidence against · 1

Thomas Crapper - Wikipedia

Get citation

Thomas Crapper - Wikipedia. (n.d.). en.wikipedia.org. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Crapper

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