Creedan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Cornwall, one of the original six "Celtic nations" is the homeland to the surname Creedan. A revival of the Cornish language which began in the 9th century AD has begun. No doubt this was the language spoken by distant forebears of the Creedan family. Though surnames became common during medieval times, English people were formerly known only by a single name. The way in which hereditary surnames were adopted in medieval England is fascinating. Many Cornish surnames appear to be topographic surnames, which were given to people who resided near physical features such as hills, streams, churches, or types of trees, many are actually habitation surnames. The name Creedan is a local type of surname and the Creedan family lived in the parish of Creed in the county of Cornwall. "Crede is manifestly a personal name in the Hundred Rolls in districts far removed from Cornwall. It occurs in every case without a prefix, in itself an argument in favour of a fontal origin. No doubt it means creed, i.e. belief, answering to faith, so familiar as a girl's name later on." 1

Early Origins of the Creedan family

The surname Creedan was first found in Cornwall at Creed, a parish, in the union of St. Austell, W. division of the hundred of Powder. There is another Creed in the East division of Sussex, but the former is where this family hails. 2 Originally known as Sancta Crida, the Cornish parish means "Church of St. Cride," from the patron saint of the church. 3

The Hundred (Hundredorum) Rolls of 1273 listed: Alan Crede, Suffolk; Mabilia Crede, Cambridgeshire; and Roger Crede, Huntingdonshire. 1 Henry Crede, vicar of Homing, Norfolk in 1381 4 and John Creyde was listed in Somerset, 1 Edward III (during the first year of King Edward III's reign.) 5

Early History of the Creedan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Creedan research. Another 70 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1388, 1564, 1578, 1582, 1614, 1616, 1644, 1659, 1660, 1663, 1668, 1682, 1695, 1701, 1728, 1743, 1754, 1761, 1762, 1866, 1878 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Creedan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Creedan Spelling Variations

Cornish surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The official court languages, which were Latin and French, were also influential on the spelling of a surname. Since the spelling of surnames was rarely consistent in medieval times, and scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings of their surname in the ancient chronicles. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into England, which accelerated and accentuated the alterations to the spelling of various surnames. Lastly, spelling variations often resulted from the linguistic differences between the people of Cornwall and the rest of England. The Cornish spoke a unique Brythonic Celtic language which was first recorded in written documents during the 10th century. However, they became increasingly Anglicized, and Cornish became extinct as a spoken language in 1777, although it has been revived by Cornish patriots in the modern era. The name has been spelled Creed, Creede, Crede, Cread, Creade, Creeds, Creedes, Credes, Creads and many more.

Early Notables of the Creedan family

Notable amongst the family at this time was Adam Creedy (fl. 1388), an English politician, Member of the Parliament for Exeter in 1388; and Sir James Creed (c. 1695-1762), an English merchant and politician, Member of Parliament for Canterbury (1754-1761), Fellow of the Royal Society in February, 1743. Elizabeth Creed (1644?-1728), was an English philanthropist, born in or about 1644, the only daughter of Sir Gilbert Pickering, bart., of Tichmarsh, Northamptonshire. "In October 1668 she became the wife of John Creed [see below] of Oundle, Northamptonshire, who appears to have been at one time a retainer in the service of Lord Sandwich...
Another 150 words (11 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Creedan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Creedan family to Ireland

Some of the Creedan family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 261 words (19 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Creedan family

Amongst the settlers in North America with this distinguished name Creedan were Penelope Creed who arrived in New York in 1820; Jonathon Creed arrived in Barbados in 1679 with his wife and daughter; Edward Creed settled in Virginia in 1663.

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Rye, Walter, A History of Norfolk. London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, 1885. Print
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.