Crichely History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

The name Crichely has a long Anglo-Saxon heritage. The name comes from when a family lived as dwellers at the crosslea. The surname Crichely originally derived from the Old English word cruche which meant cross or crucifix. 1

Other sources disagree. One source claims the name is from "Crickley; a location name in Gloucestershire." 2 And another claims the name is "from a geographical locality 'of Critchlow,' or 'Chritchlow,' some small spot in Lancashire, probably in the neighbourhood of Chorley. I have failed to discover it." 3

We can find no record of Chritchlow in Lancashire today.

Early Origins of the Crichely family

The surname Crichely was first found in Northumberland where Vkke de Crikelawa was listed in the Pipe Rolls of 1176. Later, John de Cruchelowe was found in Lancashire in 1342. 4

Early Cheshire records proved to be resourceful. The Wills at Chester include: Richard Crichlow, of Leyland, 1587; John Crichlowe, of Croxton, 1593; and Thomas Chrichlowe, of Leyland, 1606. The use of the spellings Critchley and Chrichlow seemed to be interchangeable as the Preston Guild Rolls record the same person with different spellings at different times: Edmund Crichlow, 1662; and Edmund Critchley, 1682. 3

The Lancashire Wills at Richmond list Anne Chrichlaw, of Ashtonliank, 1673; and William Critchley, of Lea, 1673.

In Scotland, the spelling used was typically Critchley, and was "recorded in Inverness, doubtless from Critchlow or Chritchlaw, some small spot in Lancashire." 5

Early History of the Crichely family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Crichely research. Another 91 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1150, 1200 and 1600 are included under the topic Early Crichely History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Crichely Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Crichely have been found, including Critchley, Critchlie, Critchlow, Crichley, Crichlie, Crichly, Critchly, Crichlow, Crichelow, Cricheley, Crichelie, Crichely, Cretchley, Cretchlie, Cretchleigh, Critchleigh, Crichleigh, Cretchlow, Critchloe and many more.

Early Notables of the Crichely family

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

Migration of the Crichely family

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Crichely, or a variant listed above: William Critchlow, who settled in Barbados in 1680; with his wife, two children, and servants; Henry and Thomas Critchley, who settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1866 and 1875 respectively. In Newfoundland, James Critchley settled in Greenspond in 1841..

Citations +

Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
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)
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)