Clan Crawford

Clan Origin & Name

Crawford is one of Scotland's oldest and most distinguished Norman-descent clan families, originating in Ayrshire and rising to hold the earldom of Crawford in Lanarkshire — one of the most ancient Scottish earldoms.

History

The Crawfords derive from a Norman family who came to Scotland in the twelfth century in the train of David I, the king who transformed Scotland through the introduction of Norman feudal institutions. They took their name from Crawford in Lanarkshire, a place name from Old English meaning "crow ford" — a crossing of a river frequented by crows.

Sir Reginald of Crawford was sheriff of Ayr in the late twelfth century, and the family quickly established themselves as one of the great Ayrshire families. Their connection to Sir William Wallace, Scotland's national hero, is through marriage — Wallace's mother was a Crawford, making the Crawfords part of the lineage of Scotland's most celebrated freedom fighter. This connection is one of the most cherished genealogical threads in Scottish-American family history.

The Earldom of Crawford, created in the late fourteenth century, became one of the senior Scottish earldoms and passed through several branches of the Lindsay family (who held it for centuries) before the Crawford surname itself diversified widely across Scotland. The lands of Crawford in upper Lanarkshire — at the headwaters of the Clyde — gave Scotland one of its most evocative landscapes of high moorland and ancient history.

The Wars of Independence

The Crawfords were deeply involved in Scotland's Wars of Independence against England. Sir Reginald Crawford was hanged by the English in 1297 — his death was one of the incidents that galvanised Wallace's rebellion. The family's subsequent support for Bruce made them one of the firmly patriot families of the Independence era.

Later history and the diaspora

Crawford spread widely across Scotland over the centuries and became a common surname in Ayrshire, Lanarkshire, and the Scottish Borders. By the nineteenth century, Crawford families were emigrating to North America, Australia, and New Zealand in significant numbers. The name is strongly associated with the Ulster Scots diaspora in Northern Ireland — Crawford is common in Counties Antrim and Down — and from there to the United States Scots-Irish communities of Appalachia and the South.

Notable Crawford Families

• Sir Reginald Crawford — 12th-century Sheriff of Ayr, uncle of William Wallace's mother
• Joan Crawford — American film actress of Scottish-descent (born Lucille Fay LeSueur)
• Sam Crawford — Baseball Hall of Fame outfielder, of Scottish-American ancestry