Surname Crean. - Meaning and Origin

Crean.: What does the surname Crean. mean?

The last name Crean is a surname of Irish origin, meaning "descendant of Bernard". It is derived from the Gaelic surname Ó Croidheáin, which translates roughly to mean "descendant of Croidheáin". The root of the name is believed to come from the Irish personal name Croidheáin, which is derived from the old Irish name for the oak tree, “crot”.

Traditionally, this surname was associated with the Kerry region of Ireland, and those who bore the name were likely descended from a powerful courte of the area. Over time, as many of these families moved to other parts of the island, the spelling of the surname changed. As a result, you can now find family members with similar names such as Creen, Crean, Creene, and Creane.

In modern day Ireland, the last name Crean is still quite common. Many of those who bear it still live in Kerry, and there are also many throughout the rest of the country. Creans may also now be found living all around the world, largely due to the mass emigrations that happened throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.

Overall, the surname Crean is strongly associated with Ireland. It carries a rich history and has been passed down through the generations, giving the family a deeply rooted sense of identity and belonging.

Crean.: Where does the name Crean. come from?

The last name Crean is common today mainly in Ireland and the United Kingdom, with a few scattered families around the world. Crean is derived from the Irish Gaelic "O Craoin" which in turn came from the Latin for ‘curly-haired’, suggesting an ancestor with distinctive locks.

The Crean surname has a long and varied history. During the 1500s and 1600s, Creans were warriors from Clare in Ireland, fighting for O’Brien Kings in the centuries-long struggle for control of the country. In the 1700s, some Creans emigrated to the United States and settled in Ohio and Pennsylvania; some Creans even made their way to St. Helena, one of Britain’s island colonies in the Atlantic.

Creans were also prominent in the British Navy during the 19th and 20th centuries. Admiral John Michael de Courcy Crean and his brother, General Samuel Richard Crean, served in the Royal Navy, with the latter becoming the Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Fleet.

Today, most Creans live in the UK and Ireland, with sizeable numbers of the Irish Crean branch living in the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. Many of them still carry on traditional occupations, such as farming, but others have branched out into professions as varied as banking, law, and the arts. In the 21st century, members of the Crean family are proud to carry on their traditions of service and dedication.

Variations of the surname Crean.

The surname Crean can have varied spellings and different surnames from the same origin. These variants and surnames include:

1. Crean: A common English-Irish surname derived from a Gaelic personal name 'Criomhthain'. It is commonly used in Northern Ireland, England and in the Republic of Ireland.

2. Crone: Another form of Crean, this is a rare variant of the name.

3. Kriomhthain: The Irish form of the surname.

4. Creen: An alternative spelling of Crean that is commonly used in the UK.

5. O'Crean: An Irish surname meaning 'descendants of Criomhthain'. This is the most common form of the surname.

6. Ó Criomhthain: A variant of O'Crean with the Irish prefix 'ó' meaning 'grandson of'.

7. O'Creen: Another Irish version of the surname.

8. Crines: A variant with Scots-Irish roots, found in the Glens of Antrim in Northern Ireland.

9. Crein: Another spelling of Crean, this is a rare variant found in Britain and Ireland.

10. MacCrean: The MacCrean surname derives from the Irish 'Mac Criomhthain', meaning 'son of Criomthain'. It is most commonly found in Northern Ireland.

The spelling variations of the Crean surname can be attributed to the phonetic nature of the Gaelic language, which also influenced the various spellings of the surnames as they were adopted by different countries and cultures over time.

Famous people with the name Crean.

• John Crean: John Crean is an American entrepreneur and founder of the Florida-based custom homebuilding company U.S. Water. Crean is also the CEO and chairman of the board of U.S. Water’s parent company, Crean Companies.
• Tom Crean: Tom Crean is an Irish basketball coach and former head coach of the University of Georgia's men's basketball team. He previously served as former head coach of the Indiana Hoosiers and Marquette Golden Eagles.
• Stan Crean: Stan Crean is an American businessman, philanthropist, and former CEO and chairman of The Automobile Club of Southern California. He is the father of former head basketball coach Tom Crean.
• Richard Crean: Richard Crean is an American professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Champions Tour. He has won numerous events on the regular tour and the Senior Tour, and was named the Champions Tour's Player of the Year in 2003.
• Joan Crean: Joan Crean is an American author and former aerospace engineer whose work focused on telecommunications satellites. Her best-known books include the novel String Around a Dream and the memoir Losing the Sky.
• Michael Crean: Michael Crean is an Irish sprint athlete who specializes in the 400m. Crean competed in the 2018 European Athletics Championships in Berlin and made the finals, finishing eighth overall.
• Patrick Crean: Patrick Crean is a British theatre and film producer, who is currently the CEO of Working Title Films, one of the UK's most successful production companies. He was also appointed the new CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment in 2017.

Other surnames

Crean