Crannell

This unusual name is one of a group which originally derived from the (then) popular Norse-Viking personal name "Rognvaldr". The earliest recordings in this form are pre 6th Century, the name translating as "wise-counsel", or similar, the exact meaning being open to conjecture. What is certain is that the name was introduced into the Isle of Britain as a result of invasion, the probable entry being through the Isle of Man, although both the Anglo-Saxons and the later Normans at 1066 introduced their variant forms of Ronald and Reynold respectively. The transposition of the spelling can be ascribed to local dialects, as nameholders moved between the Isle of Man, Scotland and Ireland in the 16th and 17th Centuries. The development was probably Rognvaldr to Rannald, to MacRannald to Crannell, Crangle and Cringle. Recordings include: Henry Crangle, of London, on November 29th 1834, and Richard Cringle, a witness at Newtown Ards, County Down, Ireland, on April 11th 1864, the epi-centre of the name being Ulster. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Patrick Crangle, which was dated December 22nd 1794, a witness at Downpatrick, County Down, during the reign of King George 111, known as "Farmer George", 1760 - 1820. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.