Surname Cryan - Meaning and Origin
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Cryan: What does the surname Cryan mean?
The last name Cryan is of Irish origin, and is derived from Ó Croidheáin, a Gaelic patronymic surname meaning "descendant of Croidheáin”. The root form, Croidheáin, is composed of two elements: "croidhe," meaning "heart," and "án," which is a diminutive suffix. Alternatively, the name may be derived from the Irish crios, meaning "a belt or girdle".
The variants of this surname found in the United States and the United Kingdom range from Cryan and Cryon to the spelled-out forms of these names, like Croan, Crone, and Cronan.
The Cryan family name dates back to at least the fourteenth century and has spread to other countries over the ages. It is likely that early Cryan families were established in Ireland in modern day Counties Kerry and Westmeath, known respectively as the territory of Hy-Many and Mide.
Cryan's can be in either Farmerer or brewery slang families, with strong roots in the agricultural industry as far back as 16th century.
Cryan's have spread to the United States, settling and establishing themselves in the colonies beginning in the 1820s. Records indicate that an O'Cryan was the first of the name to arrive in the states and eventually settling in the New York City area. The Cryan family name continues to spread with successive generations having emigrated to places as diverse as Canada, Australia, and England.
The Cryan family name is still a common Irish one, with its present-day members living all over the world.
Given its strong Irish heritage, the Cryan surname stands as a symbol of the strong bonds of family, community, and tradition. For its bearers, the Cryan name is closely connected with their identity and heritage, and both are deeply treasured.
Order DNA origin analysisCryan: Where does the name Cryan come from?
The last name Cryan is most commonly found in Ireland, particularly in the province of Ulster. It is also found in America, particularly in the Eastern states, where many of the Irish immigrants who went to America during the 1800s and early 1900s were from Ulster. It is also found in some other areas of the United Kingdom and Europe, including Scotland, Australia, and Canada.
Cryan is derived from the Gaelic name O’Caireain, which means ‘belonging to the descendants of Cairian’. Cairian was a person who lived in County Clare, Ireland in the 11th century. Cryan is a very old last name and there are a few variations to this spelling including MacCryan, MacCryane, McCryan, Cryon and Cryen.
The Cryans were mainly based in Culfmin, O’Monahans, Corindon, and Kilmacdona in County Clare before they began to disperse to other areas of Ireland during the time of the Great Famine. Some of them even immigrated to the United States to settle in Boston, New York, and other areas of the East Coast. There was also a small population of Cryans in Pennsylvania who trace their lineage back to County Limerick and County Clare.
Today, the Cryan last name is still most commonly associated with Ireland. The name is mainly concentrated in the sacrings such as Sligo, Limerick, Tipperary, and County Clare. However, due to immigration to other parts of the world, the Cryan name is now found in many different countries.
Variations of the surname Cryan
The surname Cryan is an anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic surname Ó Croidheáin, which originated in County Mayo and Galway in the west of Ireland. The Croidheáin clan was of the Uí Fiachrach people, and held its own territory in Galway alongside the O'Flahertys and the O'Shaughnessys. Cryan is commonly found with a variety of spellings and variants, including Creen, Crine, Crian, Crowley, O'Creen, O'Craine, O'Crian, O'Crowley, Crean, Crine, Craine and MacCraine.
Cryan is also known in Ireland in its Anglicized form of Gray or Grey. This spelling is believed to have been derived from the Old French 'gris', which means 'gray'. The name can also be found in Yon or Oyon form, which would mean either 'son of Yon' or 'son of John'.
The surname Cryan is primarily found in Ireland, although it used to be more common in England, mainly in the Midlands, where it may have been brought over by Irish immigrants. Cryan can also be found in the United States and Canada, particularly in states such as New York, California, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts.
The variants of Cryan offer a unique insight into the family's family history. While some of the spelling variants and surnames are merely the result of variation of the original Irish family name, other names offer far more interesting historic links, such as the Gray and Yon families which are of French and Spanish origin respectively.
Famous people with the name Cryan
- Joe Cryan: American Democratic Party politician who served as the Majority Leader of the New Jersey General Assembly.
- Kevin Cryan: Irish Labour Party politician who served as a Member of Dáil Éireann for Dublin South West.
- Paul Cryan: Australian diplomat who served as Ambassador to the United Nations from 1999 to 2005.
- Stephen Cryan: American businessman who serves as President and CEO of McGraw Hill Financial.
- Brendan Cryan: Irish Fine Gael politician who served as a Member of Dáil Éireann for Kildare North.
- William Michael Cryan: American lawyer and judge who served as U.S. District Judge on the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.
- James Cryan: Irish Labour Party politician who currently serves as Deputy Mayor of Dublin City Council.
- Daniel Cryan: American stage and film actor who has appeared Off-Broadway, in film and television.
- Seán Cryan: Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as a Member of Dáil Éireann for Kildare North.
- John Cryan: British business executive who served as the Chief Executive Officer of Deutsche Bank from 2015 to 2019.