Show ContentsCreaney History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancient Scottish kingdom of Dalriada is thought to be the home of the ancestors of the Creaney family. Their name comes from someone having lived on the island of Jura in the Inner Hebrides. The name is derived from Gaelic Mac Crain. 1

Early Origins of the Creaney family

The surname Creaney was first found in the islands of Jura and Islay, where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Creaney family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Creaney research. Another 111 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1625, 1649, 1856 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Creaney History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Creaney Spelling Variations

In the Middle Ages, the translation between Gaelic and English was not a highly developed process. Spelling was not yet standardized, and so, an enormous number of spelling variations appear in records of early Scottish names. Creaney has appeared as MacCraney, Craney, Crainey, MacCrain, McCranie, MacCranny, MacCranne, MacCranney, MacCrayne and many more.

Early Notables of the Creaney family

More information is included under the topic Early Creaney Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Creaney family to Ireland

Some of the Creaney family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 69 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Creaney migration to the United States +

Dalriadan families proliferated in North America. Their descendants still populate many communities in the eastern parts of both the United States and Canada. Some settled in Canada as United Empire Loyalists, in the wake of the American War of Independence. Families on both sides of the border have recovered much of their heritage in the 20th century through Clan societies and highland games. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Creaney or a variant listed above:

Creaney Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • John Creaney, aged 21, who immigrated to the United States from Motherwell, in 1903
  • Owen Creaney, aged 22, who settled in America from Castlewellan, Ireland, in 1909
  • Jane Creaney, aged 21, who settled in America from Lurgan, Ireland, in 1916
  • Harold John Creaney, aged 30, who landed in America from London, England, in 1918
  • John Creaney, aged 56, who landed in America, in 1920

New Zealand Creaney 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:

Creaney Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. John Creaney, (b. 1856), aged 18, Irish farm servant, from Armagh travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Oamaru" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 17th February 1875 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Creaney (post 1700) +

  • David B. Creaney, American aviation electrician at Ellsworth Station in the winter of 1957, eponym of the Creaney Nunataks, Antarctica
  • Gerard "Gerry" Creaney (b. 1970), retired Scottish footballer
  • John Alexander Creaney QC, TA, OBE, DL (1933-2008), Northern Ireland lawyer, Senior Prosecuting Counsel at Belfast Crown Court (1978)


The Creaney Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Amor proximi
Motto Translation: The love of our neighbor.


  1. 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)
  2. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html


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