The origin of the place name, Crosthwait has been revealed in the story of the Crosthwaite Church.

            The name “Crosthwaite” does mean “a cross in a felled place or field or clearing” and is a very old English name.

The word “cross” needs no definition but “thwaite” in unrecognizable because it is no longer in use in the English language. It can be found, however, in the Merriam-Webster unabridged International Dictionary 2^nd edition. In that source, “thwaite” is given as of Old Norse derivation, originally spelled. “thviet” and is defined as a “felled place; forest land cleared and converted to tillage; a field or piece of land used as a meadow.”

However, it did not appear in written English until 1628 according to “The Oxford Universal Dictionary” 3^rd edition. Reprinted in 1955 which cites the date when a word is first found.

Locally, the name is confined to County Cumberland where the Norwegians left it.

The word “field” introduced into England by the Normans under William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy in 1066, gradually displaced the word, “thwaite” even in Cumberland; the thwaite has survived primarily as a significant part of many English place names.

The place in country Cumberland where the name Crosthwaite originated was near present day Keswick. The old village of Crosthwaite was older than Keswick, but has declined in importance as Keswick has risen to greater size and importance.

Crossthwaite has been spelled many ways and mis-spelled more often than not. Quite early in its history, one “s” was dropped. In the Colony of Virginia, the final “e” was left off.

The most radical change in spelling is seen in “white” on the end instead of “thwaite”. Such a change did occur in known to the writer are decendants of the Wiliam Crosthwait who died 1743 in Virginia, rather than from any early Crosswhite forefather.

“Early historical use of the name is given by Bardsley: Henry de Crosthweyte, Writs of Parliament (no date given); John de Crostwyt, county Norfolk 1273, on the ‘Hundred Rolls’ of that year; Gawin Crostwat, Cistercian 1534, Reg. University, Oxford, 1, 181”.

The earliest transfer of land on record was to Sire Adam de Crosthwaite in the reign of King Edward 3, 1330 A.D.

During the Civil War in England and the Protectorate of Oliver Cromwell, 1640-1660, some of the Crosthwaites immigrated to the thirteen Colonies, Canada Europe.

As to the Coat of Arms – none is known for this particular family. One was granted (in 1845?) to Thomas Croathwaite, Esq. of Fritswilliam Square, Dublin, Governor of Bank of Ireland, High Sheriff of Dublin, 1845, as followes;

Gules, a lion ramp. Between 6 cross crosslets

ARMS: a lion rampant between 6 cross crosslets or

CREST: a demi-lion rampant per fess (divided in 2 equal parts of different colors by a horizontal line)

MOTTO: Conquer or die