Rasco History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Early Origins of the Rasco family

The surname Rasco was first found in Yorkshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. After the Battle of Hastings in 1066, William, Duke of Normandy, having prevailed over King Harold, granted most of Britain to his many victorious Barons. It was not uncommon to find a Baron, or a Bishop, with 60 or more Lordships scattered throughout the country. These he gave to his sons, nephews and other junior lines of his family and they became known as under-tenants. They adopted the Norman system of surnames which identified the under-tenant with his holdings so as to distinguish him from the senior stem of the family. After many rebellious wars between his Barons, Duke William, commissioned a census of all England to determine in 1086, settling once and for all, who held which land. He called the census the Domesday Book, 1 indicating that those holders registered would hold the land until the end of time. Hence, conjecturally, the surname is descended from the tenant of the village and lands of Raskelf, (formerly Raschel,) held by one the Kings many stewards, who was recorded in the Domesday Book census of 1086.

Early History of the Rasco family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rasco research. Another 55 words (4 lines of text) covering the year 1333 is included under the topic Early Rasco History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rasco Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, Norman French and other languages became incorporated into English throughout the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Rasco include Raskill, Raskell, Reskill, Reskell, Rascal, Rascall, Rascill and many more.

Early Notables of the Rasco family

More information is included under the topic Early Rasco Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rasco Ranking

In the United States, the name Rasco is the 12,344^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 2

Migration of the Rasco family

In England at this time, the uncertainty of the political and religious environment of the time caused many families to board ships for distant British colonies in the hopes of finding land and opportunity, and escaping persecution. The voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, though, and many arrived in North America sick, starved, and destitute. Those who did make it, however, were greeted with greater opportunities and freedoms that they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Early immigration records have shown some of the first Rascos to arrive on North American shores: the name represented in many forms and recorded from the mid 17th century in the great migration from Europe. Migrants settled in the eastern seaboard from Newfoundland, to Maine, to Virginia, the Carolinas, and to the islands..

Contemporary Notables of the name Rasco (post 1700) +

Albert Rasco (1925-1989), American politician, Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives (1980-1982)
Carol Rasco (b. 1948), née Hampton, an American political aide and advocate for disability rights, literacy, and children, Director of the Domestic Policy Council under President Bill Clinton from 1993 to 1996
Jermauria Rasco (b. 1992), American football linebacker who is currently a free agent, he played with the Green Bay Packers (2015), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2016) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (2016)

Citations +

Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/