Show ContentsCriner History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Of all the Anglo-Saxon names to come from Britain, Criner is one of the most ancient. The name is a result of the original family having lived in the town of Cranwich, in Cheshire. Some evidence suggests that this place name may be derived from the German name Krannisch.

Early Origins of the Criner family

The surname Criner was first found in Cheshire where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Criner family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Criner research. Another 91 words (6 lines of text) covering the year 1450 is included under the topic Early Criner History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Criner Spelling Variations

The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Criner has been spelled many different ways, including Crannage, Cranach, Cranadge, Cranage, Crannick, Crannock and many more.

Early Notables of the Criner family

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

Criner Ranking

In the United States, the name Criner is the 9,585th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Migration of the Criner family

Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Criners to arrive in North America: Edmund Cranage who settled in Virginia in 1637 with his wife Elizabeth, and daughters Margaret and Mary; Thomas Cranch settled in New York in 1821; Ely Crannage settled in Virginia in 1639..


Contemporary Notables of the name Criner (post 1700) +

  • Jim Criner (b. 1940), American former college football player and coach
  • Juron Criner (b. 1989), American NFL football wide receiver for the Oakland Raiders


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/


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