I believe our Crow/Crowe family to be from the English isles. The German Groh/Kroh may also be a source of Crowe surnames in the US (
Immigration and Passenger Lists 1500-1900's), as well as the Native American tribe. For a full explanation of the Crow/Crowe surname link to the
surname website.
Although, there is no PROOF documentation that I'm aware of, I've seen most researchers trace our family to John Crowe who landed in America in 1620 with Captain John Smith. John and William Crowe are listed in the book penned by Capt. Smith as Adventurers, Planters, and Governors from Virginia's first beginnning. They are on a list with the likes of Oliver Cromwell and Lord Cavendish. However, some of the Governor's never stepped foot on American soil.
The Generall Historie of Virginia, New-England, and the Summer Isles: With the Names of the Adventurers, Planters, and Governours from Their First Beginning, Ano: 1584. To This Present 1624. With the Procedings of Those Severall Colonies and the Accidents That Befell Them in All Their Journyes and Discoveries. Also the Maps and Descriptions of All Those Countryes, Their Commodities, People, Government, Customes, and Religion Yet Knowne. Divided into Sixe Bookes. By Captaine Iohn Smith, Sometymes Governour in Those Countryes & Admirall of New England:
Electronic Edition. Authored by Capt. John Smith, 1580-1631.
“God be thanked was recouered without maime, and now setled in Virginia: how many they lost we know not, but we saw a great many lie on the decks, and their skuppers runne with bloud, they were about three hundred tunnes apeece, each sixteene or twentie Brasse peeces. Captaine Chester, who in this fight had behaued himselfe like a most vigilant, resolute, and a couragious souldier, as also our honest and valiant master, did still so comfort and incourage vs by all the meanes they could, at last to all our great contents we arriued in Virginia, and from thence returned safely to England.”
The Names of the Aduenturers for Virginia,
Alphabetically set downe, according to a printed
Booke, set out by the Treasurer and Councell
in this present yeere, 1620.
- George, Lord Archhishop of Canterburie.
- William Lord Cranborne, now Earle of Salisburie.
- William, Lord Compton, now Earle of North-hampton.
- William Lord Cauendish, now Earle of Deuonshire.
- Richard, Earle of Clanricard.
- Sir William Cauendish now Lord Cauendish.
- Gray, Lord Chandos.
- Sir Henry Cary.
- Sir George Caluert.
- Sir Lionell Cranfield.
- Sir Edward Cecill.
- Sir Robert Cotten.
- Sir Oliuer Cromwell.
- Sir Anthony Cope.
- Sir Walter Cope.
- Sir Edward Carr.
- Sir Thomas Conisbie.
- Sir George Cary.
- Sir Edward Conwey.
- Sir Walter Chute.
- Sir Edward Culpeper.
- Sir Henry Cary, Captaine.
- Sir William Crauen.
- Sir Walter Couert.
- Sir George Coppin.
- Sir George Chute.
- Sir Thomas Couentry.
- Sir John Cutts.
- Lady Cary.
- Company of Cloth-workers.
- Citie of Chichester.
- Robert Chamberlaine.
- Richard Chamberlaine.
- Francis Couill.
- William Coyse, Esquire.
- Abraham Chamberlaine.
- Thomas Carpenter.
- Anthony Crew.
- Richard Cox.
- William Crosley.
- James Chatfeild.
- Richard Caswell.
- John Cornelis.
- Randall Carter.
- Executers of Randall Carter.
- William Canning.
- Edward Carue, Esquire.
- Thomas Cannon, Esquire.
- Richard Champion.
- Rawley Crashaw.
- Henry Collins.
- Henry Cromwell.
- John Cooper.
- Richard Cooper.
- John Casson.
- Thomas Colthurst.
- Allen Cotten.
- Edward Cage.
- Abraham Carthwright.
- Robert Coppin.
- Thomas Conock.
- John Clapham.
- Thomas Church.
- William Carpenter.
- Laurence Campe.
- James Cambell.
- Christopher Cletheroe.
- Matthew Cooper.
- George Chamber.
- Captaine John Cooke.
- Captaine Thomas Conwey, Esquire.
- Edward Culpeper, Esquire.
- Master William Crashaw.
- Abraham Colmer.
- John Culpeper.
- Edmund Colbey.
- Richard Cooper.
- Robert Creswell.
- John Cage, Esquire.
- Matthew Caue.
- William Crowe.
- Abraham Carpenter.
- John Crowe.
- Thomas Cardell.
- Richard Connock, Esquire.
- William Compton.
- William Chester.
- Thomas Couel.
- Richard Carmarden, Esquire.
- William and Paul Canning.
- Henry Cromwell, Esquire.
- Simon Codrington.
- Clement Chichley.
- James Cullemore.
- William Cantrell.
“John Crowe
On November 21, 1621, John Crowe and his associates, who planned to take 100 new colonists to Virginia, received a patent for some land. On June 10, 1622, Crowe was identified as the holder of a patent for a particular (or private) plantation (VCR 1:553-554, 561-562, 3:643).”
From: Virginia Immigrants and adventurers, 1607-1635: a biographical Dictionary, page 236.
Early immigration records show numerous Crow surname listings, beginning as early as 1620. Some of the earliest immigrants we have found include
William Crow to Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1620;
Henry Crow to Virginia in 1636;
James Crow to Virginia in 1657;
John Crow to Virginia in 1662;
Thomas Crow to Virginia in 1673;
John Crow to Maryland in 1666;
Francis Crow to Maryland in 1673;
and Thomas Crow to America in 1679.
Please see Ms. McClure's website for more information.
In my next post, we'll continue with the Crowe lineage.
