CRAVEN
Craven is an English surname of locational origin associated with the district of Craven in the former West Riding of Yorkshire.
Historically the placename is recorded as Crave in the Domesday Book of 1086. It is thought to derive from the Welsh word craf, meaning garlic, a hypothesis supported by the fact that the area was noted for its agricultural produce. The name later evolved into Craven, the form that appears on surviving medieval documents.
The earliest recorded instance of the surname is that of Paulineus de Cravene, dated 1284, when he was listed as a Freeman of Yorkshire during the reign of King Edward I (1272‑1307). Subsequent records from the latter half of the thirteenth century include the names Agnes de Craven and Johannes de Craven in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1372.
In addition to its locational derivation, the surname Craven has been recognised as a possible nickname originating from the Old English word cræfen, meaning cowardly or timid. Thus the name could have been applied either to an individual associated with the Craven district or, alternatively, as a descriptive sobriquet for a person displaying such traits.
During the early modern period, bearers of the name began to spread beyond Yorkshire, as migration for employment increased. One documented early emigrant was Richard Craven, who received a land patent for 150 acres at Blunt Pointe, Virginia, in 1626, marking the first known appearance of the name in the New World.
The heraldic achievement granted to the Craven family consists of a silver shield with a red fesse between six red cross‑crosslets fitchee. The crest features an ermine griffin with wings addorsed, a beak and fore‑limb in gold, mounted upon a red hat with ermine trim. The family motto, Latin Virtus in actione consistit, translates into English as “Virtue consists in action” and underscores the family's emphasis on moral conduct.
Throughout English history, the surname has remained firmly rooted in its geographical association with the Yorkshire district, while also reflecting the broader patterns of medieval settlement, migration and heraldic tradition that have shaped the development of English family names.
Typical given names associated with the Craven surname
Male
- Andrew
- David
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Richard
- Robert
Female
- Alison
- Anne
- Christine
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Helen
- Joanne
- Margaret
- Mary
- Nicola
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Creaven
- Cravens
- Crave
- Carven
- Caravan
- Caravona
- Carofano
- Carphin
- Carvan
- Carvana
- Carvin
- Corfan
- Corvan
- Corven
- Corvin
- Corvino
- Craen
- Cravan
- Craves
- Cravin
- Cravo
- Cravon
- Creavan
- Creavin
- Crevan
- Crivan
- Criven
- Crivon
- Croven
- Crovin
- Curivan
- Currivan
- Curvan
- Curven
- Curvin
- Garafin
- Garavan
- Garaven
- Garavini
- Garfen
- Garfin
- Garofano
- Garofeanu
- Garrafin
- Garrifin
- Garvan
- Garvani
- Garven
- Garvin
- Garvine
- Garvon
- Gorevan
- Gorevin
- Gorfin
- Gorvan
- Gorven
- Gorvin
- Grafen
- Graffen
- Graffin
- Graffini
- Gravagna
- Gravani
- Gravano
- Graven
- Gravin
- Gravina
- Gravino
- Greeven
- Greffin
- Greven
- Grevin
- Grffin
- Grieffin
- Grifan
- Griffan
- Griffen
- Grifffin
- Griffin
- Griffine
- Griffioen
- Griffn
- Griffon
- Grifin
- Grifoni
- Grivon
- Groffin
- Grovan
- Groven
- Grovin
- Gurvan
- Karavan
- Karvani
- Karvouni
- Keirven
- Kerevan
- Kerivan
- Kerivin
- Kervan
- Kervein
- Kerven
- Kervin
- Kirvan
- Kirven
- Kirvin
- Korvin
- Kraven
- Krivan
- Krivine
- Krovina
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Craven in...
Braille
⠉⠗⠁⠧⠑⠝
Morse
-.-..-..-...-.-.
Semaphore
Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname Craven are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Melting Moment.
There are approximately 9,524 people named Craven in the UK. That makes it the 975th most common surname in Britain. Around 146 in a million people in Britain are named Craven.
Surname type: Location or geographical feature
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Craven
- Beverley Craven - Singer-songwriter
- Wes Craven - American director (1939 to 2015)
- John Craven - Journalist and television presenter
- Philip Craven - President of the IPC
- William Craven, 5th Earl of Craven - 5th Earl of Craven (1897 to 1932)
- Peter Craven - Speedway rider (1934 to 1963)
- Elizabeth Craven - Noble (1750 to 1828)
- John Craven - Economist
- Danny Craven - Rugby league player
- Charlie Craven - Football player (1909 to 1972)
- Joan Craven - Photographer (1897 to 1979)
- Dean Craven - Football player
- John Craven - Architect and furniture designer (1899 to 1992)
- Victor Craven - County cricketer
- Sam Craven - Football player
- Mike Craven - Football player
- Cicely Craven - Penal reform activist (1890 to 1)
- Steve Craven - Football player
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.