Surname Cronan - Meaning and Origin
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Cronan: What does the surname Cronan mean?
The surname Cronan is an anglicized version of the Irish Gaelic name Ó Cromáin, which means "Descendant of Cromán". The personal name Cromán is derived from the Irish Gaelic word crom, meaning 'bent, curved'.
Originally, the Ó Cromáin sept were part of a larger grouping of families which occupied much of what is now County Clare, which was known historically as Corcabaiscin. The Gaelic families were identified geographically with their 'tuath', or settlement area, which was known as Clanbrassil.
The Ó Cromáin's were primarily petty chieftains and farmers during the 17th and 18th centuries and later became prominent landowners in the newly established towns of Limerick and Ennis. During the penal laws period, Catholics were forbidden from owning land in the new towns and their original holdings were sold off.
The name Cronan is still quite popular in County Clare and also in other areas such as Connemara and Leitrim. It is quite a common name, with an estimated population of 3,000 Irish people bearing the surname.
Over time, the family has become divided into many distinct branches, some of which can trace their lineage back to prominent political and religious figures. Despite this, the name Cronan is still widely associated with being part of this ancient Irish family.
Order DNA origin analysisCronan: Where does the name Cronan come from?
The surname Cronan is most often associated with Ireland, where the name is derived from the old Irish Gaelic surname O'Cronain, meaning "descendant of Cronan". Although it is no longer a common Irish name, it can be found in the United States, the United Kingdom, and other countries with large Irish immigrant populations.
In the United States, the name is especially prevalent in New England states, as Irish settlers first began arriving in the area in the 17th century. It is also seen in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and other Midwestern states, particularly those with a high concentration of Irish immigrants, such as Wisconsin. In states further west, such as California and Arizona, the name can sometimes be found as well.
In the UK, the name Cronan is found most prominently in Northern Ireland and Scotland, two places with long-standing ties to Ireland. Ireland itself is less likely to have many people with this name, due to the more recent Irish immigration population and the surname's having gone out of fashion in favor of more contemporary surnames.
No matter the country one may be in, the name Cronan is likely to be found wherever there is a large Irish-American or Irish-British population, as well as among descendants of centuries-old Irish immigrants.
Variations of the surname Cronan
The surname Cronan has several variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. The original Irish form is Ó Cronáin, which is an Anglicized version of Ó Crónáin. There are several variations of this name such as Cronin, Croneen, Cronyn, and Cronyne.
The earliest recorded version of this name is Mac Cronan, which is the anglicized form of Mac Crónáin, which is an old Gaelic Irish surname derived from the word 'crón', meaning a mournful or sad person. The Mac Cronan surname is mainly found in the Irish counties of Mayo and Clare, and it has been anglicized to Mac Cronan, Mc Cronan, MacCronan, MacCrowne, MacCrowen, MacCrown, and McConnell, although other variants are also possible.
Cronane is an alternative spelling of the surname. It is an anglicized version of an old Irish name that derived from the Gaelic 'Ua Cronain', which means 'son of the occasional'. This particular variant is associated with County Kerry in the south of Ireland and is still quite common there.
The last major variation of the name is Cronon, which is an anglicized version of O'Cronon. It is an old Irish surname that began in County Cork. Although the exact origin of the name is unknown, many believe it was derived from the Irish word 'cron', meaning a sorrowful or sad person.
In summary, the variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Cronan are Mac Cronan, Mc Cronan, MacCronan, MacCrowne, MacCrowen, MacCrown, McConnell, Cronane and Cronon.
Famous people with the name Cronan
- Dennis Cronan: former American soccer midfielder
- Nicolette Cronan: British model
- Tom Cronan: sports interviewer and anchor
- Joe Cronan: American swim coach
- Tony Cronan: American stand-up comedian
- Kate Cronan: Australian actor
- Ian Cronan: American actor and blogger
- Bill Cronan: American Major League Baseball pitcher
- Maurice Cronan: Gaelic footballer
- Peter Cronan: former football manager in Northern Ireland