| ![Show Contents]() Croffet History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
England
Etymology of CroffetWhat does the name Croffet mean? The origins of the Croffet surname date back to the time of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It comes from an early member of the family who was a person with abnormally shaped feet, or a gait resembling that of a crow. 1 Although the Anglo-Saxon surname Croffet may sound like a Native American name, it is derived from the Old English words crawe or crawa, which mean crow, and fot, which means foot. However, the Old English phrase crou-fot was also a name for the buttercup. Moreover, the surname Croffet may in some cases be derived from the name of the settlement of Crawford, which was in the Scottish county of Lanark. 2 Early Origins of the Croffet familyThe surname Croffet was first found in Suffolk where they held a family seat. From their early beginnings, for the next few centuries, the family name also acquired other estates or manors as branches established themselves throughout England. The major conflicts of the eras, such as the War of the Roses, the English Reformation, and the English Civil War sometimes found them to be in opposing camps, with conflicting interests. Although this name may sound like an Indian name to North Americans it has its roots in Suffolk. Early History of the Croffet familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Croffet research. Another 29 words (2 lines of text) covering the years 1524, 1736, 1817 and 1875 are included under the topic Early Croffet History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Croffet Spelling VariationsThe first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Croffet has been spelled many different ways, including Crowfoot, Crowfote, Crowfoote, Crowefoot, Crofford, Croford, Croffet, Crofut, Croffut, Crofoot, Croffit, Croffitt and many more. Early Notables of the Croffet familyAnother 31 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Croffet Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Croffet familyThousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Croffets to arrive in North America: Elizab Crofford, who arrived in Virginia in 1652; Anne Crofford, who settled in Virginia in 1728; Elizabeth Crofford, who came to Charles Town [Charleston], South Carolina in 1768.
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. 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)
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