Craig History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

Etymology of Craig

What does the name Craig mean?

The Pictish clans of ancient Scotland were the ancestors of first people to use the name Craig. The name was found in Aberdeen (part of the modern Grampian region), and other shires across Scotland. The Craig surname is derived Scottish Gaelic word creag, meaning "a rock" which became the Scottish word "craig." Craig is parish in Forfarshire which was "formerly called Inchbrayock, the 'island of trout,' by which name an island of thirty-four Scotch acres within the parish is still known. Craig was at that time only the designation of one of the chief estates, and it is supposed that, when the place of worship was transferred from the island to the property of Craig on the continental part of the district, the name of Craig, which is naturally derived from the rocky nature of the shore, was extended to the whole of the parish." 1

Early Origins of the Craig family

The surname Craig was first found in Aberdeenshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Obar Dheathain), a historic county, and present day Council Area of Aberdeen, located in the Grampian region of northeastern Scotland. This northern Clan was frequently associated with the Gordons, but their first records appeared in Ayrshire and Lanarkshire to the south about 1180. One of the first records of the name was Johannes del Crag who was witness to a charter by William the Lion. Later, Robertus de Crag witnessed a charter by Alexander II. 2

Early History of the Craig family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Craig research. Another 130 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1180, 1296, 1300, 1335, 1440, 1512, 1538, 1567, 1569, 1586, 1597, 1600, 1604, 1608, 1620, 1622, 1627, 1663, 1731, 1748, 1763, 1765, 1795, 1799, 1812, 1823, 1850, 1886 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Craig History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Craig Spelling Variations

In the Middle ages, spelling and translation were not yet regulated by any general rules. spelling variations in names were common even among members of one family unit. Craig has appeared Craig, Craigh, Creag, Creagh and others.

Early Notables of the Craig family

John Craig (1512?-1600), Scottish divine, born about 1512, and next year lost his father, one of the Aberdeenshire family of Craigs of Craigston, at Flodden. 3
Sir Thomas Craig (c. 1538-1608), was a Scottish feudalist, jurist and poet. He was the eldest son of William Craig of Craigfintray in Aberdeenshire
Sir Thomas' third son, John Craig M.D. (died 1620), was a Scottish physician and astronomer, physician to James VI of Scotland
Sir Lewis Craig, Lord Wrightslands (1569-1622), was an early Scottish judge, eldest son of Sir Thomas Craig of Riccarton. 3
James Craig, (d. 1795) was an Edinburgh architect who redesigned Edinburgh to become one of the most beautiful cities in the world

Craig World Ranking

the United Kingdom, the name Craig is the 266^th most popular surname with an estimated 22,787 people with that name. 4 However, in Australia, the name Craig is ranked the 298^th most popular surname with an estimated 11,901 people with that name. 5 And in New Zealand, the name Craig is the 158^th popular surname with an estimated 3,232 people with that name. 6 Canada ranks Craig as 300^th with 14,651 people. 7 The United States ranks Craig as 288^th with 94,506 people. 8

Migration of the Craig family to Ireland

Some of the Craig family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 81 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Craig migration to Australia +

Craig Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Miss Elizabeth Craig, British Convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Experiment" on 4th December 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 9
Richard Craig Mr. settled in New South Wales, Australia in 1823 10
James Plumber and Craig, a glazier, who arrived in New South Wales, Australia sometime between 1825 and 1832
Miss. Margaret Craig, (Elizabeth), (b. 1808), aged 25, Irish servant who was convicted in County Down, Ireland for 7 years for house robbery, transported aboard the "Caroline" on 6th August 1833, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 11
Mr. George Craig, (b. 1813), aged 23, Scottish cotton spinner who was convicted in Glasgow, Scotland for life for assault, transported aboard the "Bengal Merchant" on 4th August 1836, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 12
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Craig 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:

Craig Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Thomas Craig, who landed in Auckland, New Zealand in 1840
Robert Craig, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1841
James Craig, aged 40, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Tyne" in 1841
Agnes Craig, aged 39, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Tyne" in 1841
John Craig, aged 19, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Tyne" in 1841
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Craig migration to Canada +

Craig Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Mr. Christopher Craig U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1783 13
Mr. David Craig, "Craige" U.E. who settled in Chamcook [St Andrews] Charlotte County, New Brunswick c. 1783; he served in the 74th Regiment and is listed as a Loyalist of Passamaquoddy New Brunswick 13
Mr. James Craig U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1783 13
Mr. James Craig U.E. born in Massachusetts, USA who settled in Parr Town [Saint John], New Brunswick c. 1783 13
Private John Craig U.E. (b. 1760) born in Scotland who settled in Bonny River [Bonny River-Second Falls], Saint George, Charlotte County, New Brunswick c. 1783 he enlisted in 1782 served in the 84th Regiment Royal Highland Emigrants 2nd Battalion, married Sarah Smith they had 5 children he died in 1833 13
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Craig Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Sam Craig, who arrived in Canada in 1816
John Craig, aged 60, who arrived in Quebec in 1834
Margaret Ann Craig, aged 19, who landed in Quebec in 1834
James Craig, aged 24, who landed in Quebec in 1834
Agnes Craig, aged 22, who arrived in Quebec in 1834
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Craig migration to the United States +

Craig Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Magnus Craig, who arrived in Virginia in 1713 14
Hugh Craig, who landed in New England in 1729-1730 14
Mary McLellan Craig, who arrived in New England in 1729-1730 14
George Craig, who landed in America in 1760-1763 14
Margaret Craig, who landed in South Carolina in 1772 14
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Craig Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Richard Craig, who landed in America in 1803 14
William Craig who settled in Charleston with his wife Mary and servants in 1803
Margaret Craig, aged 36, who arrived in Baltimore, Maryland in 1803 14
David Craig, who landed in Washington County, Pennsylvania in 1805 14
Samuel Craig, who landed in America in 1805 14
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Craig (post 1700) +

Mrs. Celine Collette Craig M.B.E., Irish Chairman, appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire on 29th December 2018 for services to the community in Londonderry, Northern Ireland 15
John Craig (1887-1968), Scottish classicist, Professor at the University of Sheffield
Robert McAllister "Bobby" Craig (1935-2010), Scottish footballer
Robert Craig (1919-1943), Scottish-born U.S. Army officer awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic service on Sicily
Thomas "Tommy" Craig (b. 1950), Scottish football coach and former player
William Grindley Craig (1818-1854), Scottish chief mechanical engineer of the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway from 1854-1859
Wing Commander John Manson Craig VC (1896-1970), Scottish RAF recipient of the Victoria Cross
Gordon Alexander Craig (1913-2005), Scottish-American Rhodes Scholar and historian of German history and of diplomatic history
Stuart Craig OBE RDI (1942-2025), British production designer, designed the sets, together with his frequent collaborator set decorator, Stephenie McMillan, on all of the Harry Potter films
... (Another 30 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Craig family +

Arrow Air Flight 1285

Mr. Michael E Craig (1966-1985), American Private 1st Class from University Park, Illinois, USA who died in the Arrow Air Flight 1285 crash 16
Michael Waller Beaufort Craig, British Lieutenant Commander Gunner Officer aboard the HMS Dorsetshire (1945) when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he survived the sinking 17
Alexander W. B. Craig, British worker aboard the ferry "Princess Victoria" who survived the North Sea Flood, a major storm surge in 1953
Robert Craig, British traveler aboard the ferry "Princess Victoria" killed in the North Sea Flood, a major storm surge in 1953
Mr. Joseph Craig, Australian passenger who died aboard the ship "SS Gothenburg" when she sank on the 24th February 1875
... (Another 1 entries are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Craig 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: Vive ut vivas
Motto Translation: Live that you may live for ever

Sources +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
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)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
"Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 22nd March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/coromandel-and-experiment
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th September 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-st-vincent
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 22nd December 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/caroline
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 7th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bengal-merchant
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-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)
"Birthday and New Year Honours Lists (1940 to 2019)." Issue 62507, 28 December 2018 | London Gazette, The Gazette, Dec. 2018, www.thegazette.co.uk/honours-lists
American War Memorials - Flight 1285. (Retrieved 2016, August 24) . Retrieved from http://www.uswarmemorials.org/html/monument_details.php?SiteID=317&MemID=550
Force Z Survivors HMS Dorsetshire Crew List, (Retrieved 2018, February 13th), https://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listdorsetshirecrew.html