McCristall History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• England

The history of the McCristall name began with the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from Christopher, an ancient and popular font name which has been common since the 12th century. ^[1] Another source claims the name was "derived from a geographical locality. 'of Cristall.' I cannot find the spot, but Yorkshire seems to have been the home of the surname." ^[2]

Early Origins of the McCristall family

The surname McCristall was first found in Yorkshire where one of the first records of the name was Robert de Cristall who was registered in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. ^[2] Scotland was another homeland for the family and in this case, "it is certainly a diminutive or pet form of Christopher. The first form was an old surname in Foveran and it was not uncommon in Prestwick, Ayrshire, in the fifteenth century" ^[3]

Important Dates for the McCristall family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McCristall research. Another 96 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1470, 1474, 1491, 1567, 1650, 1672 and 1790 are included under the topic Early McCristall History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McCristall Spelling Variations

Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the McCristall family name include Chrystal, Cristall, Cristoll, Cristole, Cristell, Crystal, Crystall, MacCrystall, MacCristall and many more.

Early Notables of the McCristall family (pre 1700)

More information is included under the topic Early McCristall Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McCristall migration to New Zealand

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

McCristall Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

• Eliza J. McCristall, aged 19, a servant, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Queen of Nations" in 1874

Citations

1. ^ Lowe, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
2. ^ Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
3. ^ Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)