Crossland

Found in the recordings of Crossland, Crosseland, and Crosland, this is an ancient locational surname of Yorkshire origins. The village itself is today known as South Crosland although in the 1086 Domesday Book it is referred to only as 'Croisland', a Norman spelling, and as Crosland in the 1200 Charter Rolls of Yorkshire. It seems however that a place called 'North Crosseland' did exist in the 14th century, one Ricardus de Crosselande being recorded there in 1379. If this is the case, it is now one of the five thousand 'lost' medieval villages of the British Isles. The village name is Olde English from 'cros-landa' and describes a settlement grouped around a boundary marker post of some significance. The surname perhaps surprisingly for a locational one, is popular in its own area, suggesting that the original 'Cros(s)land' nameholders were the Lords of the Manor. Usually locational surnames were given to 'strangers' as a distinct mark of identification that they came from 'away', although this could easily mean the next village! Early examples of the surname recording include Thomas de Crosslande and Wilelmus de Crossland, both in the 1379 Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls, and George Crosland registered in the Coroners Roll of Nottingham in 1538. William Crosland, recorded as a 'Victualler' was buried in 1720 at the famous church of St Dionis Backchurch, London, whilst the coat of arms granted to 'Crosland of Crosland Hall', near Huddersfield, in the heralds visitation of 1665, has the blazon of quarterly silver and red, a cross botonee counterchanged. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Christiana de Crosselande, which was dated 1308, the court rolls of the manor of Wakefield, Yorkshire, during the reign of King Edward 11, known as 'Edward of Caernafon', 1307 - 1327. 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.