Craw History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

The name Craw first arose amongst the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is derived from their having lived in the village of Cranshaw (Cronkshaw) in Lancashire. The name is derived from the Old English "cran(uc)" which means "crane" + "sceaga" which means "grove" or "thicket." 1 Another source claims the name literally means "the twisting or winding shaw (wood.)" 2

Early Origins of the Craw family

The surname Craw was first found in Lancashire at Cranshaw (Cronkshaw) in the parish of Rochdale or Bury. One of the first records of the name was William de Crounkeshawe who was listed there in 1412. 3

Cranshaws Castle or Cranshaws Tower is a 15th-century pele near the village of Cranshaws in Berwickshire, Scotland. The castle is thought to be the inspiration for "Ravenswood Castle", home of Edgar, the hero of Sir Walter Scott's tragedy the Bride of Lammermoor.

Early History of the Craw family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Craw research. Another 116 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1572, 1590, 1610, 1612, 1626, 1649 and 1667 are included under the topic Early Craw History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Craw 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 Craw has appeared include Crawshaw, Crawshay, Crawshawe, Cranshaw, Crankshaw and many more.

Early Notables of the Craw family

Distinguished members of the family include William Crashaw (1572-1626), English Puritan divine and poet, son of Richard Crashaw of Handsworth, near Sheffield, Yorkshire.Major Joseph Croshaw (1610-1667), son of Captain Raleigh Croshaw, was a substantial planter living near Williamsburg in the US Colony and Dominion...
Another 44 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Craw Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Craw 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 Craw arrived in North America very early:

Craw Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Samll Craw, who arrived in Virginia in 1664 4

Craw Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Daniel Craw, who landed in Florida in 1765 4

Craw migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Craw Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. John Craw, (b. 1863), aged Infant, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Huntress" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st April 1863 5
Miss Margaret Craw, (b. 1862), aged 8 months, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Huntress" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st April 1863 5
Mrs. Margaret Craw, (b. 1821), aged 42, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Huntress" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st April 1863 5
Mr. Robert Craw, (b. 1821), aged 42, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Huntress" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st April 1863 5
Mr. David Craw, (b. 1827), aged 36, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Huntress" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st April 1863 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Craw (post 1700) +

Farley Craw, American Republican politician, Postmaster at Caro, Michigan, 1871
Charles S. Craw, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Indiana, 1928
Garvie Craw (1948-2007), American football player who played for Michigan (1967-1969)
Colonel Demas Thurlow "Nick" Craw (1900-1942), American officer awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1942

Citations +

Hanks, Patricia and Flavia Hodges, A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print. (ISBN 0-19-211592-8)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
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)
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html