| ![Show Contents]() Crenshaw History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The Crenshaw name has descended through the generations from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. Their name comes from having lived in the village of Cranshaw (Cronkshaw) in Lancashire. The name is derived from the Old English "cran(uc)" which means "crane" + "sceaga" which means "grove" or "thicket." 1 Another source claims the name literally means "the twisting or winding shaw (wood.)" 2 Early Origins of the Crenshaw familyThe surname Crenshaw was first found in Lancashire at Cranshaw (Cronkshaw) in the parish of Rochdale or Bury. One of the first records of the name was William de Crounkeshawe who was listed there in 1412. 3 Cranshaws Castle or Cranshaws Tower is a 15th-century pele near the village of Cranshaws in Berwickshire, Scotland. The castle is thought to be the inspiration for "Ravenswood Castle", home of Edgar, the hero of Sir Walter Scott's tragedy the Bride of Lammermoor. Early History of the Crenshaw familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Crenshaw research. Another 116 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1572, 1590, 1610, 1612, 1626, 1649 and 1667 are included under the topic Early Crenshaw History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Crenshaw Spelling VariationsOnly recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Crenshaw has undergone many spelling variations, including Crawshaw, Crawshay, Crawshawe, Cranshaw, Crankshaw and many more. Early Notables of the Crenshaw familyDistinguished members of the family include William Crashaw (1572-1626), English Puritan divine and poet, son of Richard Crashaw of Handsworth, near Sheffield, Yorkshire.Major Joseph Croshaw (1610-1667), son of Captain Raleigh Croshaw, was a substantial planter living near Williamsburg in the US Colony and Dominion...
Another 44 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Crenshaw Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Crenshaw RankingIn the United States, the name Crenshaw is the 1,755th most popular surname with an estimated 17,409 people with that name. 4
 Crenshaw migration to the United States | + |
To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Crenshaw were among those contributors:
Crenshaw Settlers in United States in the 20th Century- Mrs L. Crenshaw, who landed in America, in 1904
- Nannie Crenshaw, who immigrated to the United States, in 1906
- John Crenshaw, aged 21, who settled in America from Belfast, Ireland, in 1907
- Ellen Crenshaw, aged 2, who landed in America, in 1909
- Caroline Crenshaw, who immigrated to America, in 1910
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
| Contemporary Notables of the name Crenshaw (post 1700) | + |
- Marvin Crenshaw (b. 1952), former American football offensive tackle for the Nebraska Cornhuskers (1972-1974)
- Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw (b. 1959), American scholar in the field of critical race theory
- Ben Daniel Crenshaw (b. 1952), nicknamed Gentle Ben, an American professional golfer, winner of the Masters Tournament in 1984 and 1995
- Ander Crenshaw (b. 1944), American politician, U.S. Representative for Florida (2001-)
- Steve Crenshaw (b. 1971), American blues guitarist
- Leon Crenshaw (b. 1943), American former defensive tackle in the National Football League
- Roberta P. Crenshaw (1914-2005), Austin-area philanthropist and civic pioneer
- Anderson Crenshaw (1783-1847), American jurist
- John Hart Crenshaw (1797-1871), American landowner, salt maker, and slave trader
- Marshall Crenshaw (b. 1953), American singer, songwriter and guitarist
- ... (Another 1 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
- Hanks, Patricia and Flavia Hodges, A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print. (ISBN 0-19-211592-8)
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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Crenshaw migration to the United States 
England
Scotland
