Show ContentsCraker History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Craker

What does the name Craker mean?

The name Craker was brought to England by the Normans when they conquered the country in 1066. The ancestors of the Craker family lived in Suffolk. The family was originally from Crevecoeur, Normandy, and it is from this location that the name derives.

Early Origins of the Craker family

The surname Craker was first found in Kent where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. After the Battle of Hastings in 1066, William, Duke of Normandy, having prevailed over King Harold, granted most of Britain to his many victorious Barons. It was not uncommon to find a Baron, or a Bishop, with 60 or more Lordships scattered throughout the country. These he gave to his sons, nephews and other junior lines of his family and they became known as under-tenants. They adopted the Norman system of surnames which identified the under-tenant with his holdings so as to distinguish him from the senior stem of the family. After many rebellious wars between his Barons, Duke William, commissioned a census of all England to determine in 1086, settling once and for all, who held which land. He called the census the Domesday Book, 1 indicating that those holders registered would hold the land until the end of time. Hence, Hamon, Sire of Crevecoeur was Duke William's historian. He and his brother were at the Battle of Hastings. William appointed Hamon, Sheriff of Kent. He has two sons, the eldest, Robert FitzHamon became the founder of Tewksbury, and the youngest was Hamon, who was the ancestor of this great baronial family of which we report. One of Hamon's descendents, another Hamon, married Maud d'Avranches, the great Folkstone heiress, in the time of King Richard I of England. For more extensive reading, "The Falaise Roll" by Crispin and Macary, Genealogical Publishing, Baltimore is recommended.

Early History of the Craker family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Craker research. Another 83 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1158, 1195, 1200, 1212, 1273 and 1284 are included under the topic Early Craker History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Craker Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, Anglo-Norman surnames like Craker are characterized by many spelling variations. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages such as Norman French and Latin, even literate people regularly changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Craker include Crawcour, Creuequor, Croueqoer, Creuker, Crewquer, Craker, Crigor, Crevequer, Crevequere, Crevcure, Crevequre, Crevecoeur, Creegor, Cregor, Crewker, Crouequoer, Crevequer, Crequer and many more.

Early Notables of the Craker family

More information is included under the topic Early Craker Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Craker migration to the United States +

Faced with the chaos present in England at that time, many English families looked towards the open frontiers of the New World with its opportunities to escape oppression and starvation. People migrated to North America, as well as Australia and Ireland in droves, paying exorbitant rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, but those who did see the shores of North America were welcomed with great opportunity. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America carried the name Craker, or a variant listed above:

Craker Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Wm. Craker, who arrived in New York in 1832
  • William Craker, who settled in Pennsylvania in 1832
  • Levy Craker, who settled in New York in 1832
  • Levi Craker, who settled in Pennsylvania in 1832
  • Emanuel Craker, who settled in New York in 1832
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Craker migration to Australia +

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

Craker Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • George Craker, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "David Malcolm" in 1848 2


  1. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  2. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) DAVID MALCOLM - EMIGRANT SHIP - 1848. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1848DavidMalcolm.htm


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