Show ContentsCroasdell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancient roots of the Croasdell family name are in the Anglo-Saxon culture. The name Croasdell comes from when the family lived in Crossdale, in the county of Yorkshire.

Early Origins of the Croasdell family

The surname Croasdell was first found in Yorkshire, where the earliest record of the name occurs was of Johannes de Crosdale in 1379 who was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls in 1379. 1

Some of the family held estates at Waddington in the West Riding of Yorkshire since early times. "This place afforded an asylum to the unfortunate monarch Henry VI., who, after the battle of Hexham, was entertained at Waddington Hall, the property of the Croasdale family, and protected by concealment from the pursuit of his enemies for nearly twelve months." 2 There is no doubt that the name is from the Yorkshire/Lancashire borders but the local seems to have been lost over the years.

Early History of the Croasdell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Croasdell research. Another 53 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1379, 1688, 1737, 1751, 1762, 1768, 1776, 1778, 1782 and 1825 are included under the topic Early Croasdell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Croasdell 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 Croasdell has appeared include Crossdale, Crosedill, Crosdale, Croasdale, Crossdell, Crosdell, Croasdell and many more.

Early Notables of the Croasdell family

Notables of the family at this time include John Crossdill, born in London in 1751. He received his early musical education in the choir of Westminster Abbey under John Robinson and Benjamin Cooke. Upon quitting the choir he became a performer on the violoncello, and soon attained to considerable proficiency. In 1768 he became a member of the Royal Society of Musicians, and in the following year appeared at Gloucester, as principal violoncello at the meeting of the Three Choirs, a position which he continued to occupy until his...
Another 89 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Croasdell Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Croasdell family

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 Croasdell arrived in North America very early: Thomas Crossdale who arrived in Philadelphia in 1866.


Contemporary Notables of the name Croasdell (post 1700) +

  • Adam Croasdell (b. 1980), Zimbabwe-born, British actor


  1. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.


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