Cranke History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Cranke

What does the name Cranke mean?

The name Cranke is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when the family lived in the village of Crank in northern Lancashire.

Early Origins of the Cranke family

The surname Cranke was first found in Lancashire, where they held a family seat from ancient times. The village of Crank is or was near Rainford where there is also Crank Hall and Crank Farm. This would reasonably be the seat of the family name, although they also seemed to have had interest in northern Lancashire in the Silverdale and Furness areas.

Early History of the Cranke family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cranke research. Another 72 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1121, 1662, 1692, 1746, 1748 and 1826 are included under the topic Early Cranke History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cranke Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Cranke are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. 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. The variations of the name Cranke include: Crank, Cranc, Cranke, Cranch and others.

Early Notables of the Cranke family

James Cranke (1746-1826), an English portrait painter

Migration of the Cranke family

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Cranke or a variant listed above: William Crank who arrived in Virginia in 1734.