Crane Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Crane last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Crane last name
Meaning of the Crane last name: long-legged, like a crane. The Crane surname began as a nickname for a tall, thin man with long legs, like the wading bird. It may also come from a house sign showing a crane. The last name is found widely in England, especially East Anglia. A curious detail of this family name meaning: Stephen Crane, author of The Red Badge of Courage, came from an old New Jersey family of the name.
Arms associated with the Crane name
In heraldry the full achievement adds a helmet, mantling and other parts around the shield, and coats of arms associated with the Crane name are usually shown in that fuller form.
Get your full Crane family history
This is only a glimpse of the Crane story. The full Crane history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Crane coat of arms. Get the full Crane report.
Crane name FAQ
What does the Crane name mean?
Long-legged, like a crane. Common variants include Crain, Crayne, Craine.
Where does the Crane surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Ireland and Australia.
Is there a Crane coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Crane coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).