Crackett

Recorded in a number of spellings including Cracket, Crackett, and the more usual Crocket and Crockett, this is an Anglo-Scottish surname. It has two quite has two known possible origins. The first is English and a medieval nickname for someone with a particular hair style known as the "croket". This word described a "kiss curl", and it is said that it was all the rage in the 14th century! However in Scotland the where the name was relatively popular in the Galloway region, it is said to be a developed spelling of the original pre 10th century Gaelic Mac Riocaird, from "Mac" meaning "son of" and the personal Norman-French name Richard. The surname is first recorded in Scotland as shown below, with Crokkat and Croket being early alternate spellings between the year 1483 to 1614. Examples of the surname recording taken from surviving registers and charters include Margaret Crackett who married James Howe at St Leonards Eastcheap, in the city of London, on October 21st 1563, and John Crokkit of Achinkyle, who in 1634 was charged with "molesting the minister at Inchcallioch and stealing his timber". The illustrious name bearer Davy Crocket, known later as the king of the Wild Frontier, was killed at the battle of the Alamo in 1845). The first recorded spelling of the family name is probably that of Huwe Croket of Cambeuslang. This was dated 1296, when he rendered homage during the reign of John Balliol of Scotland 1292 - 1296. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.