Show ContentsCrosier History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

This name is "derived from an official title. 'the crosier,' one who carried the bishop's cross or pastoral staff." 1 It is derived from the "Old French, crosier, crocier, crosser ‘crosier’, the bearer of a bishop’s crook or pastoral staff, or of the cross at a monastery. The name might also denote a seller of crosses or a dweller by a cross. Croyser is the common early form." 2

Early Origins of the Crosier family

The surname Crosier was first found in Liddesdale, where they belonged to an old Border Clan seated at Liddisdale, Roxburghshire. 3

"Persons of this name were early settlers in Liddesdale, and c. 1376 we find "locus Croyser" in the rent-roll of the lordship. William Crosier, professor of philosophy in the newly founded University of St. Andrews, 1410. William Croyser, a Scotsman at present in Bruges, in Flanders, to have a safe conduct in England in 1429, is perhaps Master William Croyser, archdeacon of Teviotdale, who had a safe conduct to travel in England in 1433." 4

While the name is most famous in Scotland, in England the first record of the family was William le Croyser who was listed at Eynsham, Oxfordshire in 1264. William le Crocer was found in Suffolk in 1305 and Thomasa Croser was listed in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1393. 2

Near the border of Scotland and England, Yorkshire listed Cristiana Croiser; and Johannes Croser in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. 1

In Norfolk, John Crosier, was listed there, 6 Henry V and William Crosier, was listed 46 Edward III. 5 In both these cases, the year of the king's reign denoted the year of the entry. For example, 6 Henry V, denoted during the sixth year of King Henry V's reign.

Early History of the Crosier family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Crosier research. Another 278 words (20 lines of text) covering the years 1418, 1424, 1436, 1475, 1526, 1537, 1564, 1569, 1587, 1855, 1864, 1870 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Crosier History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Crosier Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Crozier, Crosier, Croyser, Crosar, Crozer and others.

Early Notables of the Crosier family

Notable amongst the family at this time was William Crozier, the English oboe player, whose tone and exquisite taste will not soon be forgotten by those who heard him in the Crystal Palace...
Another 33 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Crosier Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Crosier Ranking

In the United States, the name Crosier is the 12,868th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 6

Ireland Migration of the Crosier family to Ireland

Some of the Crosier family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 57 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 Crosier migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Crosier Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Hans Uright Crosier, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1740 7
  • James Crosier who settled in Charles Town [Charleston], South Carolina in 1766 with his wife Mary, brother Thomas and his wife Sarah
Crosier Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • James and Mary Crosier, who arrived in New England in 1805
  • James Crosier, who arrived in America in 1805 7
  • Mary Crosier, who landed in America in 1805 7
  • Eliza Crosier, who arrived in Baltimore, Maryland in 1811 7
  • Richard Crosier, aged 20, who arrived in New York in 1812 7
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Canada Crosier migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Crosier Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • William Crosier, aged 18, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Salus" in 1833
  • Sarah Crosier, aged 16, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Salus" in 1833

Contemporary Notables of the name Crosier (post 1700) +

  • Sergeant William Henry Harrison Crosier (1844-1903), American soldier in the American Civil War who was awarded the Medal of Honor, for his action during the Battle of Peachtree Creek in Georgia on 20 July 1864
  • Owen Russell Loomis Crosier (1820-1912), American Millerite preacher and editor


  1. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  2. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  3. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  4. 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)
  5. Rye, Walter, A History of Norfolk. London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, 1885. Print
  6. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  7. 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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