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I have copied the following from my copy of the Craword book, Laurus Crawfurdiana "Memorials of that branch of the Crawford Family which comprises The descendants of JOHYN CRAWFORD of Virginia, 1660-1883 ( with notices of the allied families) (privatly printed in New York, 1883.
I thought some of you may enjoy it.
Mr. Thomas Crawford, a reknowed antiquary and historian, and professor in the University of Edinburgh, thus accounts for the orgin of his family name:
"The common ancestor of the Crawfords was one Mackornock, who, as the story goes, signalized himself at an engagement by the water of Cree in Galloway, by discovery of a ford, which gave a signal advantage to his party. The story may carry some show of truth for it is observed that most of our surnames at first were taken from places, accidents, and the most remarkable actions of a man's life, but I waive this as not being so well attested" **
Arthur, in his dictionary of names speaks of the name of Crawford as assumed by the proprieter of the land and barony of Crawford of Lanarkshire, Scotland. The extreme ancestor of the family of Crawford in Scotland, was Reginald, the youngest son of Alan, the fourth Earl of Richmond. He seems to have accompanied David the First to the north and to have recieved extensive grants of land in Strath Cluyd or Clydesdale, where his immediate descendants adopted the name Crawford, then forming one of the largest baronies in Scotland and signifying in Gaelic "The Pass of Blood", from cru, bloody and ford, a pass or way, as commerative, probably, of some sanquinary conflict between the Aborigines and the Romaqn invaders. The name has been derived by others from Crodh and port, pronounced crofort, signifying "a sheltering place for cattle".
Mr. George Crawford. in his sketches of family history embraced in the History of Renfrewshire, remarks: " The first using this surname I have found is Galfridus de Crawfurd, who is witness in a character by Roger, Bishop of St. Andrews, to the Abbey of Kelso, declaring the monastery independent of the Episcopal See; which charter has probably been about the year 1189, when Roger was elected Bishop of St. Andrews in the reign of King William. So it is clear that the family Crawfurd seated at a place of that name, in the county of Lanark, and from their hereditary lands took designation, when fixed surnames came commonly to be used.
This name, which has been so marked in the chronicles of Scottish history, and which has borne such honorable mention on the pages of the American archives from the first century of settlement of the country, has been variously spelled. In the old country it appears as Craufurd, Craufurde, Crawfurd and Crawford. In America it may be found spelled in the old land grant deeds, wills and other county and State documents, Craford, Crafford, Crofford, Crufford and Crawford, and it is supposed has even degenerated into Crofut and Crowfoot.
**From G. Crawfords "History of the Shire of Renfrow; its nobility, gentry etc." 4to. Paisley. 1782.
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