Show ContentsMacCrossin History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The original Gaelic form of the Irish name MacCrossin was written as Mac an Chrosain, which is derived from the word cros, which means cross.

Early Origins of the MacCrossin family

The surname MacCrossin was first found in Leinster, where they held a family seat at Ballymacrossan on the border of Leix and Offaly. There they were an off-shoot of the notable Clan O'Moore which was the leading sept of the 'Seven Clans of Leix'. In Gaelic the surname is "Mac an Chrosain," but more frequently seen in the English form "Crosby" or "Crosbie" which was listed as early as the early 1600s. 1

Early History of the MacCrossin family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our MacCrossin research. Another 257 words (18 lines of text) covering the years 1600, 1619, 1621, 1638, 1639, 1658, 1689, 1695 and 1762 are included under the topic Early MacCrossin History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

MacCrossin Spelling Variations

The search for the origins of the name MacCrossin family name revealed numerous spelling variations. These variants can be somewhat accounted for when it is realized that before widespread literacy people only recognized their name by pronunciation; it was up to scribes to decide how it was to be formally recorded. Variations found include Crossan, Crossen, McCrossan, McCrossen, MacCrossan, MacCrossin, MacCrossen, Crossin, MacCrosson, McCrosson, Crosson, McCrosin, McCrosen and many more.

Early Notables of the MacCrossin family

Notable amongst the family name at this time was Patrick McCrossan, Chief of his Clann; John Crosbie, alias Sean Mac an Chrosáin (died 1621), a bishop of the Church of Ireland; and his sons: Sir Walter Crosbie, 1st Baronet, died 4 Aug 1638; David Crosbie (died 1658), died 1658; Sir John Crosbie...
Another 52 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early MacCrossin Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States MacCrossin migration to the United States +

The 18th century saw the slow yet steady emigration of Irish families to British North America and the United States. Those early Irish settlers that left their homeland were typically moderately well off: they were enticed by the promise of a sizable plot of land. However, by the 1840s, this pattern of immigration was gone: immigrants to North America were seeking refuge from the starvation and disease that the Great Potato Famine of that decade brought. The great numbers of Irish that arrived to the United States and the soon to be Canada were instrumental in their quick development as powerful industrial nations. An examination of early immigration and passenger lists uncovered many early immigrants bearing the name MacCrossin:

MacCrossin Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • John MacCrossin, who arrived in New York, NY in 1816 2


The MacCrossin 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: Indignante invidia florebit justus
Motto Translation: The just man will flourish in spite of envy.


  1. MacLysaght, Edward, More Irish Families. Dublin: Irish Academic Press, 1982. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-0126-0)
  2. 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)


Houseofnames.com on Facebook