This surname is derived from a geographical locality. 'of Craven.' i.e. the district of Craven in West Riding of Yorkshire The surname has for centuries been very strongly represented in Yorkshire, especially in the West Riding.

Paulinas de Cravene, 12 Edward I: Freemen of York.

Agnes de Craven, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

Johannes de Craven, 1379: ibid.

Roger de Crauen, 1379: ibid.

1619. Baptised — John, s. Richard Cravon: St. Michael, Cornhill.

1609. Married — Ecckyell Craven and Mary Browne: St. James, Clerkenwell.

This surname early crossed the Atlantic, and has ramified strongly in the States.

Thomas Craven, aged 17 years, 'imbarqued for Virginia in 1635. Still earlier in 1626, Richard Craven received 150 acres by patent: Hotten's Lists of Emigrants.

(English) belonging to Craven (Yorks) [apparently a pl. form of Middle English crave, 'a cleft': cp. French crevé, an opening, crever, to split; Latin crepare, to crack] Agnes de Craven, A.D. 1379.—Yorks Poll-Tax.

Ó Cráibhín, Ó Crabháin (W) Co. Galway, Mac Crabháin (W) Louth-Monaghan IF 305*

Ó Cráibhín, Ó Crabháin (W) Co. Galway, Mac Crabháin (W) Louth-Monaghan IF 305*

(English) One who came from Craven (garlic), in Yorkshire.

In the days of chivalry this word meant a coward-one who 'craved' mercy from an antagonist, and it was also applied to a fighting-cock that failed in combat.

One who begs for his life when conquered; from crave, a word used formerly by one vanquished in trial by battle, and yielding to the conqueror. Craven is also the name of a place in Yorkshire, England, very stony, derived from craig. Cornish-British, a rock, and pen, a head.

From Craven, a district of Yorkshire; from W. craeg a rock, pm head.

Or De Daiville, from D., Normandy. In 1056 Walter Barbatus, Lord of Daiville, witnessed the charter of Treport, Eu (Neustr. Pia, 589). Walter de D., his son, accompanied the Conqueror, and had grants from Roger de Mowbray in York, with the feudal dignity of Seneschal. He witnessed a charter of Pontefract Priory (Mon. i. 655). Richard de D. was living 1130 (Rot. Pip.). Robert, his son, was hereditary Seneschal, and held five fees from Mowbray in York, and one in Notts (Lib. Niger). He had a dispute with Byland Abbey (Mon. i. 1031), and had two sons: 1. Robert de Daiville, who m. a dau. of Agnes Percy by Josceline of Louvaine, and was ancestor of the Dayvilles, Daivilles, or Deyvilles of York; 2. Thomas. Thomas de D., whose brother was m. to a Percy, obtained the lordship of Roudon or Rawdon, in Craven (originally part of the Percy estates); and his descendants, who bore the fesse of Daiville with marks of difference, were indifferently styled Rawdon and Craven, the latter probably arising from the office of Seneschal of Craven, which belonged to the Earls of Albemarle, a family which possessed lands in Rawdon (Mon. ii. 103). Raginald de Rawdon, son of Thomas, occurs 1202 (Rotulus Cancellarii). He had two sons: 1. Henry, whose descendants bore the name of Rawdon; of whom Simon de R., ‘son of Henry,’ did homage for his lands t. Henry III. (Rob. Excerpt. ii. 352), and was father of Isabel, a benefactress to Fountains (Burton, Mon. Ebor. 106), while Thomas, his brother (Michael’s son), was ancestor of the Rawdons, Earls of Moira, Marquises of Hastings; 2. Thomas de Craven, who with his descendants bore that surname. This Thomas de Craven held lands in Norfolk (Testa de Neville) as well as part of Rawdon. In 1316 William de Craven and Michael de Rawdon were joint Lords of Rawdon (Parliamentary Writs). The former granted to Fountains Abbey lands given to his father by William de Daiville (Burton, 149). From William de Craven descended the Cravens of Leveninge and Appletrewick in Craven, ancestors of the gallant Lord Craven renowned in the wars of Gustavus Adolphus, and of the Earls Craven.

A location name in Yorkshire.

The Cravens of the West Riding are best represented in the Leeds district. The name is also established in the other divisions of Yorkshire, as well as in Lincolnshire. A West Riding district is thus called.