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Irish surname

Crean: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Ó Croidheáin · 'descendant of Croidheán' (diminutive of croidhe, heart)

Woulfe (1923) gives Crean as an anglicised form of Ó Croidheáin, 'descendant of Croidheán', the name of a Cinel Eoghain family who settled at Sligo in the 16th century and became wealthy merchants. He also prints Crean among the anglicised forms of five other Irish surnames: Ó Criocháin, Ó Creacháin, Ó Corráin, Ó Carráin and Ó Corraidhín. In 1890 the birth indexes held 27 entries including spelling varieties (24 spelled Crean), 9 of them in Kerry.

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Coat of arms associated with the Crean surname
Irish formÓ Croidheáin
Meaning'descendant of Croidheán' (diminutive of croidhe, heart)
CountiesSligo, Kerry, Cork, Wexford
Other spellings5

Origin of the Crean name

Woulfe: Ó Croidheáin was 'the name of a family of Cinel Eoghain who settled at Sligo in the 16th century, where they became wealthy merchants'. Woulfe also prints Crean under Ó Criocháin (an Oriel family, lords of Ui Fiachrach of Ardsratha, now Ardstraw, Co. Tyrone), Ó Creacháin, Ó Corráin, Ó Carráin and Ó Corraidhín.[1][2][3][4][5][6]

  1. 1506Four Masters: Donnell O'Craidhen (O'Crean), merchant, died while hearing mass in Donegal.[11]
  2. 1572Four Masters: Henry O'Craidhen, 'a rich and affluent merchant of Lower Connaught', died.[12]
  3. 189027 birth entries including spelling varieties (24 spelled Crean); 9 in Kerry.[7][8]
  4. 1914–1916Tom Crean serves on Shackleton's Imperial Trans-Antarctic (Endurance) Expedition.[13]

Where in Ireland

Co. SligoWoulfe: the Ó Croidheáin family settled at Sligo in the 16th century as merchants.[1]
Co. KerryMatheson 1890: '9 in Kerry' of the 27 entries (total includes spelling varieties).[7]
Co. CorkMatheson 1890: '7 in Cork' of the 27 entries (total includes spelling varieties).[7]
Co. WexfordMatheson 1890: '4 in Wexford' of the 27 entries (total includes spelling varieties).[7]
Co. TyroneWoulfe's Ó Criocháin (forms include Crean) were lords of Ui Fiachrach of Ardsratha, now Ardstraw.[2]

Notable people named Crean

Tom Crean1877–1938Born near Anascaul, Co. Kerry; served on Scott's and Shackleton's Antarctic expeditions; Albert Medal; opened the South Pole Inn in 1927.[13]

Other spellings

O Crean · O Creane · O Criane · Creane · Creen[1]

The Crean coat of arms

'O CREAN' is printed in the 'List of Names of Irish Septs as given in the Book of Arms, compiled by Sir James Terry, Athlone Herald (1690)', as reproduced by Matheson. The list gives sept names only; it does not describe any arms, and it does not mean that everyone named Crean is entitled to a coat of arms.[10]

The design shown is a coat of arms associated with the Crean surname. In Irish and British heraldry a coat of arms is granted to one person and passes to their heirs; it does not belong to everyone who shares the surname. Many families still use the arms of their name as a symbol of their heritage.

Crean crest gifts

Clan Crean Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap ND58 Crean Coat Of Arms Irish Cap Crean Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap£26.00Clan Ocrean Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapYQ66 Classic Cap - Ocrean Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Ocrean Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap£33.00Clan Crean Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapBO58 Classic Cap - Crean Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Crean Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap£33.00Clan Ocrean Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap RI28 Ocrean Coat Of Arms Irish Cap Ocrean Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap£26.00

Crean surname: questions

What does the surname Crean mean?

Woulfe gives Ó Croidheáin, 'descendant of Croidheán', a diminutive of croidhe, heart.[1]

Is Crean an Irish name?

Yes. Woulfe lists Crean as an anglicised form of Ó Croidheáin and of several other Irish surnames, including Ó Criocháin and Ó Corráin.[1][2][4]

Where in Ireland is the Crean name from?

Woulfe places the Ó Croidheáin merchant family at Sligo from the 16th century. Matheson's 1890 birth indexes hold 27 entries including spelling varieties (24 spelled Crean), principally in Kerry (9), Cork (7) and Wexford (4).[1][7]

Who was Tom Crean?

An Antarctic explorer born near Anascaul, Co. Kerry, who served on Scott's Discovery and Terra Nova expeditions and Shackleton's Endurance expedition, and received the Albert Medal.[13]

Sources

  1. Ó Croidheáin — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/oc/o-croidheain.php
  2. Ó Criocháin — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/oc/o-criochain.php
  3. Ó Creacháin — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/oc/o-creachain.php
  4. Ó Corráin — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/oc/o-corrain.php
  5. Ó Carráin — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/oc/o-carrain.php
  6. Ó Corraidhín — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/oc/o-corraidhin.php
  7. Crean — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/crean.php
  8. Table Explanation — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/table-explanation.php
  9. Crean — Varieties and Synonymes of Surnames and Christian Names in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1901), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/varieties/list/365.php
  10. List of Names of Irish Septs (Terry, 1690) — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/irish-septs.php
  11. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan), 1506 (vol. 5, part 1) (part 1) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005E/text001.html
  12. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan), 1572 (vol. 5, part 8) (part 8) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005E/text008.html
  13. Crean, Thomas — Shackleton Online, Meet the pioneers, Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge. spri.cam.ac.uk/museum/shackleton/biographies/Crean,_Thomas/

Note: Matheson's 1890 figures for a surname include its spelling varieties (Matheson, Table Explanation).