Show ContentsCrago History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Crago is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when the family lived at the crag or crags in the county of Lancashire.

Early Origins of the Crago family

The surname Crago was first found in West Yorkshire at Cragg Vale, a village that dates back to Roman times. The Cragg Vale Coiners were a band of counterfeiters from the area who produced fake gold coins in the late 18th century. The gang was hunted down and one of the was murdered.

Early History of the Crago family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Crago research. Another 106 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1332, 1657, 1686, 1713 and 1721 are included under the topic Early Crago History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Crago Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Crago are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Crago include: Cragg, Crag, Cragge and others.

Early Notables of the Crago family

Notables of the family at this time include Robert Cragg of Lancashire; James Craggs the Elder (1657-1721), an English politician, Postmaster-General, the eldest son of Anthony Craggs of Holbeck...
Another 28 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Crago Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Crago family to Ireland

Some of the Crago family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Crago migration to the United States +

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Crago or a variant listed above:

Crago Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • John Crago, who arrived in Mississippi in 1843 1
Crago Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Mr. George Crago, (b. 1880), aged 25, Cornish miner travelling aboard the ship "St Paul" arriving at Ellis Island, New York in 1905 en route to McKinley, Minnesota, USA 2

Canada Crago migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Crago Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Thomas Crago, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1749

Australia Crago migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Crago Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Thomas Crago, aged 23, a miner, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "William Prowse" 3
  • William Crago, aged 22, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Lord Raglan" 4
  • Mr. Petherick T. Crago, (b. 1833), aged 25, Cornish farm labourer departing from Liverpool aboard the ship "Castilian" arriving in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia on 15th June 1858 5
  • Mrs. Ann Crago, (b. 1838), aged 20, Cornish settler departing from Liverpool aboard the ship "Castilian" arriving in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia on 15th June 1858 5
  • Mr. William Crago, (b. 1800), aged 65, Cornish farm labourer, from Liskeard, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Hornet" arriving in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia on 25th January 1865 6
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Crago migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Crago Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Thomas Crago, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Solent" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 30th July 1857 7
  • Mrs. Crago, British settler with 10 children travelling from London aboard the ship "Solent" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 30th July 1857 7
  • Charles Crago, aged 49, a farmer, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Queen of The Age" in 1874
  • Philip Crago, aged 7, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Queen of The Age" in 1874
  • Miss Catherine Crago, (b. 1855), aged 18, Cornish servant departing on 16th November 1873 aboard the ship "Queen of the Age" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 2nd March 1874 8
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Crago (post 1700) +

  • Thomas Spencer Crago (1866-1925), American Republican politician, Presidential Elector for Pennsylvania, 1900; U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania, 1911-13, 1915-21, 1921-23 9
  • Chester A. Crago (1908-1994), American politician, Mayor of Petoskey, Michigan, 1955-59 9


  1. 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)
  2. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_ellis_island_1892_on.pdf
  3. South Australian Register Monday 21st August 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) William Prowse 1856. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/williamprowse1854.shtml
  4. South Australian Register Wednesday 25th October 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Lord Raglan 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/lordraglan1854.shtml
  5. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_nsw_1850_59.pdf
  6. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 19). Emigrants to Australia NSW 1860 -88 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/nsw_passenger_lists_1860_88.pdf
  7. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  8. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to Auckland 1872-80 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/new_zealand_assisted.pdf
  9. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 27) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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