Show ContentsCredy History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Credy

What does the name Credy mean?

In Scottish history, few names go farther back than Credy, whose ancestors lived among the clans of the Pictish tribe. The ancestors of the Credy family lived in Ayrshire.

Early Origins of the Credy family

The surname Credy was first found in Ayrshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Inbhir Àir), formerly a county in the southwestern Strathclyde region of Scotland, that today makes up the Council Areas of South, East, and North Ayrshire, where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.

Early History of the Credy family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Credy research. Another 84 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1720 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Credy History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Credy Spelling Variations

Although Medieval Scotland lacked a basic set of spelling rules, which meant that scribes recorded names according to their sounds it was not uncommon for the names of a father and son to be recorded differently. As a result, there are many spelling variations of Scottish single names. Credy has been written MacCreadie, MacCredie, MacCready, MacReady, MacRedie and many more.

Early Notables of the Credy family

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

Migration of the Credy family to Ireland

Some of the Credy family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 70 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Credy migration to the United States +

Thousands of Scots left their home country to travel to Ireland or Australia, or to cross the Atlantic for the North American colonies. The difficult crossing was an enormous hurdle, but those who survived found freedom and opportunity in ample measure. Some Scots even fought for their freedom in the American War of Independence. This century, their ancestors have become aware of the illustrious history of the Scots in North America and at home through Clan societies and other organizations. Passenger and immigration lists show many early and influential immigrants bearing the name Credy:

Credy Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Julius Credy, who arrived in South Carolina in 1742 1


The Credy 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: Semper paratus
Motto Translation: Always prepared.


  1. 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)


Houseofnames.com on Facebook