Cruse History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of England produced the name of Cruse. It was given to a brave or fierce person. The surname Cruse is derived from the Old English words "crus" or "cruse" which mean "bold, fierce." 1 Another source claims the word "cruse" means "the merry." 2
Early Origins of the Cruse family
The surname Cruse was first found in Bedfordshire (Old English: Bedanfordscir), located in Southeast-central England, formerly part of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia, where Nicholas le Cruise was listed in the Curia Regis Rolls of 1213. 1 Later, Nicolas le Cruse was listed in Bedfordshire in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1279 2 as was Robert Creuse. Richard de Crues was listed in the Curia Regis Rolls for Devon in 1214. 1
"Cruse or Cruwys (sometimes modernized as Crews) was the name of a very ancient and distinguished Devonshire family of Netherex, now scantily surviving in the county, as at Ashburton." 3
"According to D'Alton, the Irish family of this surname sprang from a Norman, who, at the Conquest, settled in Cornwall. At the invasion of Ireland under Henry II., a branch accompanied Strongbow, and obtained grants of various estates in the counties of Dublin and Meath." 4
So as to note the Irish connection for the family, we found Sir John Cruys or Cruise (died 1407) a prominent Irish military commander, diplomat and judge. He was a major landowner in County Dublin and County Meath and built Merrion Castle. The family first settled in Cornwall and emigrated to Ireland during the Strongbow invasion. The family acquired many lands, including Cruisetown in County Meath and Naul, where one Robert de Cruys (died 1292) held the lands in the time of King Edward I.
Early History of the Cruse family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cruse research. Another 45 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Cruse History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Cruse Spelling Variations
One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Cruse has appeared include Cruise, Cruice, Crouse, Cruse and others.
Early Notables of the Cruse family
More information is included under the topic Early Cruse Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Cruse Ranking
In the United States, the name Cruse is the 3,975th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 5
Migration of the Cruse family to Ireland
Some of the Cruse family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 35 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Cruse migration to the United States +
At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Cruse arrived in North America very early:
Cruse Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
- Robert Cruse, who arrived in Maryland in 1680 6
Cruse Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
- George Cruse, who landed in Long Island in 1781 6
- Johann Cruse, who landed in Long Island in 1781 6
Cruse Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- Peter Cruse, aged 35, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1820 6
- W Bernh Cruse, who landed in America in 1837 6
- Clara Cruse, aged 29, who arrived in America in 1837 6
- James Henry Cruse, aged 42, who arrived in Mobile County, Ala in 1844 6
- S R Cruse, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1850 6
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Cruse migration to Canada +
Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Cruse Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century
- Mrs. Cruse, who landed in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1907
- Thomas Cruse, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1907
Contemporary Notables of the name Cruse (post 1700) +
- Harold Wright Cruse (1916-2005), American academic, an outspoken social critic and teacher
- Howard Cruse (1944-2019), American alternative cartoonist known for the exploration of gay themes in his comics
- William J. Cruse, American politician, Mayor of Piqua, Ohio, 1988-91, 1996-97 7
- S. E. Cruse, American politician, Mayor of Iron Mountain, Michigan; Elected 1914 7
- Jennifer Cruse, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from California, 2004 7
- Howard R. Cruse, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from New Jersey, 1924 7
- Alfred Cruse, American politician, Mayor of Iron Mountain, Michigan; Elected 1900 7
- Vicki Cruse (1967-2009), American aerobatic pilot and administrator
- Thomas Cruse (1857-1943), American Army Brigadier General
- Toby John Cruse (b. 1980), British musician, producer and artist
- ... (Another 3 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Historic Events for the Cruse family +
HMS Royal Oak
- Victor Cruse, British Petty Officer with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he survived the sinking 8
Citations +
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
- "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)
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 2) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
- Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html