Contents [hide]

Cranwell History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Ireland United States Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Cranwell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Cranwell is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Cranwell family lived in Lincolnshire. The line descends from a family who held a feif at Cramanvile, Normandy.

Early Origins of the Cranwell family

The surname Cranwell was first found in Essex where the family claim descent from Crenawell, (Cramanville) and were listed in the Battle Abbey Roll. 1 The family held a family seat in Essex from the time of the Conquest and in Kent where they held its lands by three knight's service. In 1189, Ralph de Cramaville paid a fine for his estates in Northumberland. 2 However, most of the record were found in Lincolnshire at Cranwell, a parish four miles from Sleaford. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list: Adam de Cranewell and Robert de Cranewell in Lincolnshire; and Richard de Cranewell in Kent. 3

Early History of the Cranwell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cranwell research. Another 82 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1600 and 1658 are included under the topic Early Cranwell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cranwell Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Cranwell, Cranwel and others.

Early Notables of the Cranwell family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Richard Cranwell

Migration of the Cranwell family to Ireland

Some of the Cranwell 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.

Cranwell migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Cranwell or a variant listed above:

Cranwell Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

John Cranwell of Suffolk who sailed from Isle of Wight arriving in Salem, Massachusetts in 1630 aboard the ship "Ambrose" as part of the Winthrop Fleet, found in Boston.
Goo Cranwell, aged 23, who arrived in Virginia in 1635 4
George Cranwell who settled in Virginia in 1635

Cranwell Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Mary Cranwell, who arrived in Virginia in 1714 4

Cranwell migration to Australia +

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

Cranwell Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Edmund Cranwell, aged 22, a lanourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Warren Hastings"

Cranwell 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:

Cranwell Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

George Cranwell, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Gertrude" in 1863 5
Fanny Cranwell, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Gertrude" in 1863 5
Emma Cranwell, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Gertrude" in 1863 5
Ann Cranwell, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Gertrude" in 1863 5
Mr. George Cranwell, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Gertrude" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 9th February 1863 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Cranwell (post 1700) +

Charles Richard "Dick" Cranwell (b. 1942), American lawyer and Democratic Party politician, Minority Leader of the Virginia House of Delegates (2000-2002), Majority Leader of the Virginia House of Delegates (1992-2000)
Peter Cranwell (1925-1997), American actor, known for his roles in Goldfinger (1964), The Fighting Prince of Donegal (1966) and Court Martial (1965)
Roberet Cranwell (b. 1952), American professional baseball player
Elizabeth Cranwell, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Virginia, 2004 7
Elizabeth Azcona Cranwell (1933-2004), Argentine poet, storyteller, writer, translator, and literary critic
Lucy May Cranwell (1907-2000), New Zealand botanist, known for her work in palynology
George Cranwell Montgomery (b. 1944), American politician, U.S. Ambassador to Oman, 1985-89 8

Historic Events for the Cranwell family +

Halifax Explosion

Mrs. Minnia Cranwell (1884-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 9

HMAS Sydney II

Mr. Henry Alfred Geoffrey Cranwell (1920-1941), Australian Stoker from Burnie, Tasmania, Australia, who sailed into battle aboard HMAS Sydney II and died in the sinking 10

Citations +

Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
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)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
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)
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 12th December 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 13) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 18) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance
HMAS Sydney II, Finding Sydney Foundation - Roll of Honour. (Retrieved 2014, April 24) . Retrieved from http://www.findingsydney.com/roll.asp