Croke was the son of Sir John Croke of Chilton, Buckinghamshire, and Studley, Oxfordshire, who was a judge, recorder of London and Speaker of the House of Commons, and his wife Catherine, the daughter of Sir Michael Blount of Mapledurham House in Oxfordshire.
[2] Croke supported the Parliamentary side in the English Civil War although he was not a member of the Long Parliament.
John Owen, dean of Christ Church, recommended Croke for a judgeship in 1655 and he was made commissioner for trials of persons charged with treason in 1656.
He was justice of the peace for Marston, Oxfordshire and for a time was deputy of the Earl of Pembroke in the stewardship of the Oxford University.
They lived at Marston and had ten children including Sir Richard Croke who was later a member of parliament for Oxford.