| ![Show Contents]() Croshaw History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The origins of the Croshaw name lie with England's ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. It comes from when the family lived in the village of Cranshaw (Cronkshaw) in Lancashire. The name is derived from the Old English "cran(uc)" which means "crane" + "sceaga" which means "grove" or "thicket." 1 Another source claims the name literally means "the twisting or winding shaw (wood.)" 2 Early Origins of the Croshaw familyThe surname Croshaw was first found in Lancashire at Cranshaw (Cronkshaw) in the parish of Rochdale or Bury. One of the first records of the name was William de Crounkeshawe who was listed there in 1412. 3 Cranshaws Castle or Cranshaws Tower is a 15th-century pele near the village of Cranshaws in Berwickshire, Scotland. The castle is thought to be the inspiration for "Ravenswood Castle", home of Edgar, the hero of Sir Walter Scott's tragedy the Bride of Lammermoor. Early History of the Croshaw familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Croshaw research. Another 116 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1572, 1590, 1610, 1612, 1626, 1649 and 1667 are included under the topic Early Croshaw History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Croshaw Spelling VariationsBefore the last few hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations are commonly found in early Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Croshaw were recorded, including Crawshaw, Crawshay, Crawshawe, Cranshaw, Crankshaw and many more. Early Notables of the Croshaw familyDistinguished members of the family include - Major Joseph Croshaw (1610-1667), son of Captain Raleigh Croshaw, was a substantial planter living near Williamsburg in the US Colony and Dominion of Virginia
| Croshaw migration to the United States | + |
To escape oppression and starvation at that time, many English families left for the "open frontiers" of the New World with all its perceived opportunities. In droves people migrated to the many British colonies, those in North America in particular, paying high rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Although many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, those who did see the shores of North America perceived great opportunities before them. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the Croshaw family emigrate to North America:
Croshaw Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- Captain Raleigh Croshaw (d. 1624), American planter from Crashaw, Lancashire who arrived in Jamestown, Va on the "Mary & Margrett", in 1607 4
- Richard Croshaw, who arrived in Virginia in 1643 4
- Cuthbert Croshaw, who arrived in Virginia in 1659 4
- Noy Croshaw, who landed in Virginia in 1659 4
Croshaw Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Thomas Croshaw, who immigrated to the United States, in 1892
- Walter W. Croshaw, aged 37, who landed in America, in 1893
- Francis P. Croshaw, aged 14, who immigrated to the United States, in 1896
- George S. Croshaw, aged 19, who settled in America, in 1896
Croshaw Settlers in United States in the 20th Century- Doris Croshaw, aged 22, who landed in America from Hull, England, in 1923
| Contemporary Notables of the name Croshaw (post 1700) | + |
- Glenn Randall Croshaw (1950-2021), American jurist and politician, Member of the Virginia House of Delegates (1987-2000)
- Benjamin Richard "Yahtzee" Croshaw (b. 1983), English comedic writer, video game journalist and author
- Hanks, Patricia and Flavia Hodges, A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print. (ISBN 0-19-211592-8)
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
- Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
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