The ancient surname CRAIG

Cragie Castle

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The ancient surname CRAIG originated independently in numerous locations and is found in many variations, although its earliest beginnings lie with Scotland, and later, North Ireland. There are many forms and spellings of the name, among them, CRAIGH, CREAG, CRAIGHE, and CREIGH. In Scottish gaelic, "craig" means "rock"; throughout Scotland, many forts and defensible positions were built on the massive rock outcroppings on both the shoreline and the interior of the county. The surname CRAIG, by extension, was then applied to the people who occupied these rocky environs and fortifications.

EARLIEST HISTORY

The CRAIG surname is first found in the area of the Picts, in the eastern part of Scotland. The Picts, considered to be among the earliest settlers of Scotland, were granted settlement of the area on condition that their kings marry Irish princesses. There is evidence in early documents of the name Craig, or a derivative of, before the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name CRAIG emerged as a Clan in the original territories of Aberdeen, seated at Craigfintray Castle in Kildrumie in that Shire. This Northern Clan, frequently associated with the Gordons, first appears in the Ayershire and Lanarckshire areas, circa 1180. There were two other Clans, one associated with the Huntley's, and who were pledged to King Edward I of England during his conquest of Scotland. Fealty was sworn to Edward I by Johan de Cragyn of the county of Linlithgow in 1296. Johan Craig of the same shire and Agneys del Crage of Edinburghshire and Johan del Cragge of Lanarckshire also paid homage in 1296. By 1300, in Aberdeenshire, Bryce de Craig was Burgess of Aberdeen. The land of James del Crag, son of John del Craig, in Ayershire, is mentioned in 1323. Alexander de Cragy was forfeited in 1334, and then pardoned in 1335.

After the foundation of the Church of Scotland, political dissent occurred over the power of the King and civil authorities over the rights of the Church. This led to the beginning of the Presbyterian movement. Many of these religious dissenters fled to Northern Ireland and its freer religious environment. Religious and civil war soon reached North Ireland, bringing more Scots to live in the North. During the 1600's many Scots emigrated to North Ireland, called the "Plantation of Ulster"… our Craig's and Campbell's among them.Thomas' son, Sir James Craig of Craig Castle and Craigston of Aberdeen became one of theScottish undertakers of the Ulster Plantation. Sir James went to England in 1603, had grants of revision of the clerkship of the Wardrobe and of the Office of Assistant Clerk in the King's Great Wardrobe. In 1610 he was granted 1000 acres in County Armagh, which he later sold ......

It is assumed that if a person's CRAIG forefathers came to America from North Ireland, there is a good chance he was a descendent of James, especially if they emigrated between just after the Revolutionary War (U.S) and 1810