Crespan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The surname is one of the names carried to England in the great wave of migration from Normandy following the Norman Conquest in 1066. It is based on the given name Crispin, which derives from a Latin nickname which means curly-haired. Much of the popularity of the name in the early Middle Ages is a result of the popularity of St. Crispin, who was martyred at Soissons in 285 AD.

Early Origins of the Crespan family

The surname Crespan was first found in Oxfordshire where they had been granted the lands of Cowley by William the Conqueror for their assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066.

One of the first records of the family was Gilber Crispin (d. 1117?), Abbot of Westminster, the grandson of Gilbert Crispin, from whom the Crispin family derived its surname. "The last-named Gilbert Crispin is in the 'Histoire Littéraire' (x. 192) identified with Gilbert, Count of Brionne, the guardian of William I's childhood, and grandson of Duke Richard I of Normandy." 1

By the time of the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, the family had scattered: Robert Crispien in Cambridgeshire; Crispianus de Colrigge in Devon; Crispian de Columbers in Lincolnshire; and Robert Crisping in Lincolnshire. Richard Crispine and William filius Crispianin were the two remaining listings in Oxfordshire. 2

Early History of the Crespan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Crespan research. Another 115 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1055, 1066, 1107, 1117, 1149, 1273, 1627, 1681 and 1749 are included under the topic Early Crespan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Crespan Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval 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. The name has been spelled Crispin, Chrispin, Crippin, Cripin, Crippen, Crepin, Crespin and many more.

Early Notables of the Crespan family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Henry Crispe was a distinguished knight at the time of King Henry VIII; Captain William Cripsin (1627-1681), one of five British Commissioners appointed by William Penn for settling his...
Another 38 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Crespan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Crespan family to Ireland

Some of the Crespan 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.

Migration of the Crespan family

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World 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 stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Crespan or a variant listed above: Thomas Crispin, who came to Barbados in 1635; Silas Crispin, who settled in Delaware in 1681; William Crispin, who came to Pennsylvania in 1682; Robert Crispin, a bonded passenger, who arrived in Maryland in 1763.

Citations +

Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)