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![Show Contents]() Critendend History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England
Critendend is a name of ancient Anglo-Saxon origin and comes from the family once having lived in the village of Crotynden (Crittenden or Cruttenden) in West Kent. This lost village is thought to have derived its name from the Old English personal name Gu(dh)here + Old English "-ing" and "denn," literally meaning "person living near a woodland pasture." (Oxford) Another source claims the name was derived from "the cot on the lower hill; from cru, a cot; tane, lower, and dun or din, a hill; or it may be the chalk hill, from krit, Saxon, chalk." 1 Early Origins of the Critendend familyThe surname Critendend was first found in West Kent at Crittenden. While this is the generally accepted origin of the name one source claims the family originally "came from Criddon, formerly Critendone (Cridela's hill), in Shropshire." 2 Early History of the Critendend familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Critendend research. Another 77 words (6 lines of text) covering the year 1481 is included under the topic Early Critendend History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Critendend Spelling VariationsSound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Critendend family name include Crittenden, Cruttenden, Critenden, Crutenden and many more. Early Notables of the Critendend familyMore information is included under the topic Early Critendend Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Critendend familyFor political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, Canada, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Early immigrants bearing the Critendend surname or a spelling variation of the name include: George Crittenden who arrived in San Francisco in 1852 with his wife, six children, and two servants; Albert Crittenden, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1876.
- Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
- Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
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