Show ContentsCrear History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancestors of the Crear surname date back to the Pictish clans of ancient Scotland, Crear was used as a name for a sifter from the Gaeilc word criathar or one who is a sievewright.

Early Origins of the Crear family

The surname Crear was first found in Inverness, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

Early History of the Crear family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Crear research. Another 136 words (10 lines of text) covering the year 1496 is included under the topic Early Crear History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Crear Spelling Variations

In the Middle ages, spelling and translation were not yet regulated by any general rules. spelling variations in names were common even among members of one family unit. Crear has appeared Crerar, Crerer, Crearer, Crarer, Crear, Crearr and others.

Early Notables of the Crear family

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


Australia Crear migration to Australia +

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

Crear Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Peter Crear, Scottish convict who was convicted in Edinburgh, Scotland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Emerald Isle" on 25th June 1842, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 1

Contemporary Notables of the name Crear (post 1700) +

  • Mark James Crear (b. 1968), American double Olympic medalist (silver and bronze) in hurdles
  • Steve Crear, Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s, member of the Queensland Team (1971-1978) and member of the Australia National Team in 1977


The Crear 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: Touch not the cat bot a glove
Motto Translation: Touch not the cat without a glove


  1. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 27th March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/emily


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