Show ContentsCronley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Cronley family

The surname Cronley was first found in Ulster (Irish: Ulaidh), where they held a family seat but were also to be found in County Offaly and Galway. The sept is styled the Princes of Crich Cualgne and are descended from Cu-Ulladh, a Prince in 576. Descended was Cronghall, in 935, Lord of Conaille, the first to style himself O'Connelly. Irish history was greatly influenced by the Norman invasion of 1172, and thereafter, the surnames of Irish Gaelic clanns and septs and many of the Norman families became almost indistinguishable.

One of the first records of the family was Thomas Cranley (1337?-1417), Archbishop of Dublin, who studied at Oxford. In 1390, he was Chancellor of the university. "Besides being archbishop, Cranley was Chancellor of Ireland under Henry IV, and Lord Justice under Henry V." 1

Early History of the Cronley family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cronley research. Another 141 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1340, 1379, 1397, 1401, 1410, 1417, 1635 and 1651 are included under the topic Early Cronley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cronley Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Cronnelly, Cronnely, Cronelly, O'Cronnelly, Cronley, Cronlay, O'Cronley, Cranley, Cranelly, O'Cranelly, Cranlie and many more.

Early Notables of the Cronley family

Notable amongst the family name at this time was Thomas Cranley DD a.k.a. Thomas Craule ( c.1340-1417) English statesman, judge and cleric who held the offices of Chancellor of Oxford University, Archbishop of Dublin (1379-1401) and Lord Chancellor...
Another 37 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Cronley Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Cronley migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Cronley Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Wm. Cronley, who settled in Virginia sometime between 1671 and 1672
Cronley Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Louis Cronley, who settled in Mississippi in 1824
  • Dan Cronley, who settled in San Francisco in 1852
  • Agnes Cronley, who arrived in Charles Town [Charleston], South Carolina in 1852
  • Patrick Cronley, who arrived in Ohio in 1863
  • Michael Cronley, who settled in Ohio in 1863

Contemporary Notables of the name Cronley (post 1700) +

  • Jay Cronley (1943-2017), American author of many works of humorous fiction made a member of the Oklahoma Writers Hall of Fame in 2002


  1. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print


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