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These are my Northern European roots, spanning the continent from Great Britain and Scotland to France, and across the water to Ireland. | 
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A search for the old Scottish Surname of Crawford indicates the following Clan and Heraldic connections. These facts have been gathered from many sources and represent long years of research by established authorities in these subjects.
CRAWFORD
I am told that this name is derived from the Barony of Crawford in Clydesdale whereof the first to be noted was
Galfridus de Crawford (in about 1179.) Sir John Crawford of that Ilk died in 1248, leaving
two heiresses who married a Douglas and a Lindsay of Wauchopedale,
respectively, whereof the latter was the ancestor of the Lindsays who,
confusingly, created Earls of Crawford in 1398.
An early cadet family acquired Loudoun, Ayrshire, by marriage in
the 13th century and Margaret, daughter of Hugh Crawford of Loudon,
Sheriff of Ayr, married Malcolm Wallace of Elderslie, and was mother
of the Scottish patriot Sir William Wallace (Braveheart).
Shortly afterwards an heiress carried the Loudoun lands to the
Campbells, who also became Sheriffs of Ayr. The representation of the
Name is understood to have then devolved upon the Crawfords of
Auchenames, who had received a grant of their lands from King Robert
Bruce about 1320 and their male line endured unbroken until the heiress
of the 14th Laird carried the representation to her husband, Crawford of
Drumsoy.
Edward H. Crauford, 18th of Auchenames, M.P., was awarded the
chiefly arms by the Lord Lyon in 1879 and this old estate was sold by
Hugh Crawfurd, 21st Laird, and Chief of the Name, who died within
living memory in Alberta, Canada.
The Craufords of Craufurdland, near Kilmarnock, were confirmed in their
lands by King Robert III in 1391 and their representation has
continued unbroken in the male line down to John Douglas Houison
Craufurd, 25th of Craufurdland, who recorded his arms in 1938.
The Kilbirnie line trace descent from Sir John Craufurd of Craufordjohn
(c. 1255), and the associated lands, acquired by marriage about 1470,
were erected into a barony in 1642. Arms were confirmed to Sir Charles
Craufurd of Kilbirnie in 1903.
The name was early carried to France
and is found there in the records of the Garde Ecossaise as 'Crafort'.
The Lindsay Earls of Crawford, and the Crawfords of whom we treat, are
two entirely different families - the Crawfords / Craufords never having
held the earldom bearing their own name.
I am also of peasant Dutch stock and quite proud of it. Perhaps one of my ancestors modeled for a Van Dyke. Perhaps they were Van Dykes.
