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McCrea History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Citations

McCrea History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

The ancient Scottish name McCrea is carried by the descendents of the Pictish people. It was a name for a prosperous person. The Gaelic form of the surname McCrea is Mac Rath, which literally means son of grace or son of prosperity.

Early Origins of the McCrea family

The surname McCrea was first found in Inverness-shire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Inbhir Nis) divided between the present day Scottish Council Areas of Highland and Western Isles, and consisting of a large northern mainland area and various island areas off the west coast, the shire was anciently both a Pictish and Norwegian stronghold, but their ancient history is often clouded with conjecture. It appears certain that they lived before the 14th century at Clunes, to the west of Inverness in the territories of the Fraser Clan. Consequently the family has always been friendly towards that Clan. From about 1400, they moved to the location with which they are readily associated, Kintail.

Early History of the McCrea family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McCrea research. Another 548 words (39 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1425, 1477, 1505, 1539, 1688, 1715, 1745, 1764, 1778 and 1890 are included under the topic Early McCrea History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McCrea Spelling Variations

When the first dictionaries were invented in the last few hundred years, spelling gradually became standardized. Before that time, scribes spelled according to sound. Names were often recorded under different spelling variations every time they were written. McCrea has been written MacCrae, MacCraith, MacCrath, MacCraw, MacCray, MacCrea, MacCree, MacCreight, MacCrie, MacReagh, MacRae, MacRay, MacRie and many more.

Early Notables of the McCrea family

Notable amongst the Clan at this time was Finghin MacCarthy Reagh (c.1425-1505), the 8th Prince of Carbery from 1477 to 1505, belonged to the MacCarthy Reagh dynasty; the Earl of Seaforth who forfeited his lands in 1715, but in 1764 was allowed to buy the lands back from the Government. In gratitude he offered to raise a regiment to be known as the Seaforth Highlanders (the 78th Regiment). Composed largely of MacKenzies and MacRaes (always loyal supporters of the MacKenzies whose Chief commanded the Regiment), it was embodied at Elgin in May 1778...
Another 92 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early McCrea Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McCrea Ranking

In the United States, the name McCrea is the 5,090^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 1

Migration of the McCrea family to Ireland

Some of the McCrea family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 59 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McCrea migration to the United States +

The crossing to North America did not seem so great in comparison with the hardships many Scots endured at home. It was long, expensive, and cramped, but also rewarding. North America offered land and the chance for settlers to prove themselves in a new place. And many did prove themselves as they fought to forge a new nation in the American War of Independence. The ancestors of those Scots can now experience much of their once-lost heritage through the Clan societies and highland games that have sprung up across North America in the last century. A search of immigration and passenger lists revealed many important, early immigrants to North America bearing the name of McCrea:

McCrea Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Hugh McCrea, who arrived in New York in 1774 2
William McCrea, who landed in Frederick County, Maryland in 1796 2

McCrea Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Philip McCrea, who landed in Allekny (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1802 2
Robert McCrea, aged 30, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1803 2
Eliza McCrea, who arrived in America in 1805 2
Jane McCrea, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1817 2
James McCrea, who arrived in Mississippi in 1840 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

McCrea migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

McCrea Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Mr. Creyton McCrea U.E. who settled in Saint John, New Brunswick c. 1784 3
Mr. Duncan McCrea U.E. who settled in Saint John, New Brunswick c. 1784 3
Mr. Robert McCrea U.E. who settled in Saint John, New Brunswick c. 1784 3

McCrea Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Henry McCrea, aged 29, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Protector" in 1834
Mr. Alexander McCrea, aged 11 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Eliza" departing from the port of Glasgow, Scotland but died on Grosse Isle in October 1847 4
Mr. Alexander McCrea, aged 52 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Eliza" departing from the port of Glasgow, Scotland but died on Grosse Isle on 7th October 1847 4
Mr. Donald McCrea, aged 30 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Eliza" departing from the port of Glasgow, Scotland but died on Grosse Isle on 17th September 1847 4
Mr. Finy McCrea, aged 80 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Eliza" departing from the port of Glasgow, Scotland but died on Grosse Isle in September 1847 4
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

McCrea migration to Australia +

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

McCrea Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mary Ann McCrea, aged 18, a domestic servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1858 aboard the ship "Bee"

Contemporary Notables of the name McCrea (post 1700) +

Jay Nash McCrea (1887-1959), American cyclist at the 1904 Summer Olympics
Francis William McCrea (1896-1981), American Major League Baseball catcher who played for the Cleveland Indians in the 1925 season
Phil McCrea (b. 1948), American former President of the National Association of Biology Teachers
James McCrea (1907-1912), American businessman, 8th President of the Pennsylvania Railroad
John McCrea (b. 1965), American founding member of the band Cake
Joel Dee "Jody" McCrea (1934-2009), American film and television actor, son of Joel Albert McCrea
Joel Albert McCrea (1905-1990), American actor who appeared in over 90 films, best known for his starring roles in Alfred Hitchcock's Foreign Correspondent (1940), and The Virginian
Joel Albert McCrea (1905-1990), American film actor
Phil McCrea (b. 1948), American president of the National Association of Biology Teachers
John Frederick McCrea VC (1854-1894), South African recipient of the Victoria Cross
... (Another 9 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The McCrea 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: Fortitudine
Motto Translation: With fortitude.

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 43)