Show ContentsCraine History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Craine is a name, who ancestors come from the noble Boernician clans of the Scottish-English border region. It is a name for a person whose was tall, and had long legs. This nickname derived from the Old English words cranuc, and cornuc, which mean crane.

Early Origins of the Craine family

The surname Craine was first found in Suffolk, England, before the name made its way North to Scotland.

"In 1261 an inquest found that a man named Crane had held, by gift of King William the Lion, the lands of Inyaney and the office of gate-keeper of the royal castle, and that he never raised an army or gave assistance or did anything else in the world for the said lands, except gate-keeper of our lord the king's castle of Montrose. Cran and Crann are current in the shires of Aberdeen, Banff, and Inverness, and Patrick Crane is recorded in Aberdeen in 1398. Crane is the spelling used by an old family in the parish of Maryton." 1

Early History of the Craine family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Craine research. Another 106 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1398 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Craine History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Craine Spelling Variations

Boernician names that evolved in the largely preliterate Middle Ages are often marked by considerable spelling variations. Craine has been spelled Crane, Craine, Crain, Cran, Crann, Crayne and others.

Early Notables of the Craine family

More information is included under the topic Early Craine Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Craine Ranking

In the United States, the name Craine is the 11,573rd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 2

Ireland Migration of the Craine family to Ireland

Some of the Craine family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 63 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Craine migration to the United States +

Some of the Boernician-Scottish Clan families who came to North America were Loyalists who went north to Canada after the American War of Independence. Families on both sides of the border went on to found two of the world's great nations. This century, families with Scottish roots have rediscovered their heritage through highland games and clan societies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Craine or a variant listed above:

Craine Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Francis Craine, who settled in Virginia in 1652
  • Robert Craine, who arrived in Antigua in 1685
Craine Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Timothy Craine, who settled in Charles Town [Charleston], South Carolina in 1764
Craine Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • James Craine, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1824 3
  • Richard Craine, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1870 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Craine (post 1700) +

  • Timothy V. Craine (b. 1944), American politician, Socialist Workers Candidate for Presidential Elector for Michigan, 1976, 1984
  • Naomi L. Craine, American politician, Socialist Workers Candidate for U.S. Senator from New York, 1994
  • Leslie E. Craine, American politician, Socialist Workers Candidate for U.S. Representative from Michigan 4th District, 1974; Socialist Workers Candidate for Presidential Elector for Michigan, 1976, 1984
  • John W. Craine, American politician, Circuit Judge in Ohio 5th Circuit, 1907-09


  1. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  2. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  3. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)


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