Crofdent History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The history of the Crofdent family goes back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It is derived from the family living as dwellers by a croft or small farm or enclosure. The surname Crofdent originally derived from croeft, an Old English word for a small farm. 1

Early Origins of the Crofdent family

The surname Crofdent was first found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. These early rolls included: Richard de Crofton and Robert de Crofton in Buckinghamshire as both holding lands that at that time. 2

Later the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed Robertus de Croftone; Agnes de Crofton; and Thomas de Crofton.

Early History of the Crofdent family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Crofdent research. Another 63 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1232, 1585, 1586, 1626, 1657, 1661, 1671, 1672, 1690, 1734, 1842 and 1911 are included under the topic Early Crofdent History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Crofdent Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Crofdent include Crofton, Croftone, Crofden, Croften and others.

Early Notables of the Crofdent family

Another 49 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Crofdent Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Crofdent family to Ireland

Some of the Crofdent family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 452 words (32 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Crofdent family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Crofdent or a variant listed above: Phillip Crofton who settled in Philadelphia in 1869; Thomas Crofton settled in Philadelphia in 1850.

The Crofdent 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: Dat deus incrementum
Motto Translation: God gives increase.

Citations +

Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. 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)