| ![Show Contents]() Cranswick History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England The ancestors of the bearers of the Cranswick family name are thought have lived in ancient Anglo-Saxon England. They were first found beside a cress or marsh. The surname Cranswick originally derived from the Old English words cresse and wic which means marsh. Early Origins of the Cranswick familyThe surname Cranswick was first found in Yorkshire, at Creswick, a hamlet in the parish of Ecclesfield, near Sheffield. 1 While there is no doubt of the Anglo-Saxon heritage on the name, one must consider that the name could also have been Norman in origin as "William de Cresek was mentioned in Normandy c. 1200, where estates were granted to him by Henry de Bailliolet. " 2 The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 list Johannes de Cressewik and Johannes de Croswick. However, these may be the same person as one appears on page 40 while the other on page 41. 1 Early History of the Cranswick familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cranswick research. Another 27 words (2 lines of text) covering the years 1379, 1679 and 1800 are included under the topic Early Cranswick History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Cranswick Spelling VariationsUntil quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Cranswick include Creswick, Cressewik, Creswicke, Cressick and many more. Early Notables of the Cranswick familyMore information is included under the topic Early Cranswick Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Cranswick familySearching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Cranswick or a variant listed above: Francis Creswick who sailed to Nevis in 1663. Henry Creswick of Hawthorne House, Melbourne, Australia.
| Contemporary Notables of the name Cranswick (post 1700) | + |
- Geoffrey Franceys Cranswick (1894-1978), English prelate, Bishop of Tasmania (1944 –1963), younger brother of George Cranswick
- George Harvard Cranswick (1882-1954), English prelate, 2nd Bishop of Gippsland (1917-1942)
- James Cranswick Tory (1862-1944), Nova Scotia businessman and politician appointed the 13th Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
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