Raynes History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Raynes is an ancient name whose history on English soil dates back to the wave of emigration that followed the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. The name comes from the short forms of various Germanic personal names containing the element Ragin, meaning counsel. It it thought that the name could also have been derived from Rennes, in Brittany. 1 However, not all of the family joined the Conqueror as seen by the listing of Warenger Raine in Normandy (1180-1195.) 2

Phillipe de Rim or De Remi (c. 1246-1296), was long treated by English authorities as an Anglo-Norman poet, to whom were assigned two romances 'La Manekine' and 'Jehan de Dammartin et Blonde d'Oxford.' "Both show a close knowledge of Scottish and English life and topography in the thirteenth century." 3

Early Origins of the Raynes family

The surname Raynes was first found in Essex where Roger Rayne was granted lands at Rayne as companion in arms of William the Conqueror. 4 5 Other early spellings of the name include De Raines and Raneis. 1

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list the following: Alice Reine in Cambridgeshire; John Reyn and Nicholas Reyn in Lincolnshire; Robert de Rennes in Oxfordshire; and Richard de Rennes. 6

The Feet of Fines for Essex in 1203-1204 includes an entry for Alveva de Reines and later the Subsidy Rolls for Yorkshire includes Richard de Rayns in 1297. Later Nicholas de Reynes was found in the Feet of Fines for Yorkshire in 1301. 5

The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 lists: Robert Rayne; Johannes Rayne; Richard Rayneson; and William Rayne. 6

Early History of the Raynes family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Raynes research. Another 84 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1150, 1280 and 1530 are included under the topic Early Raynes History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Raynes Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Raines, Raine, Rayne and others.

Early Notables of the Raynes family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was John Reynes (fl. 1530), an English stationer and bookbinder in London, carried on business at the sign of St...
Another 26 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Raynes Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Raynes migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Raynes or a variant listed above:

Raynes Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Robert Raynes, who landed in Virginia in 1652 7
Cornelius Raynes, who arrived in Maryland in 1663 7

Raynes migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Raynes Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

George Raynes, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "City of Auckland" in 1871
Matilda Raynes, aged 19, a servant, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Woodlark" in 1874

Contemporary Notables of the name Raynes (post 1700) +

Thomas Arthur Raynes (1835-1914), English cricketer who played for Sussex (1854-1864)
Edward Robert Raynes, English clergyman, Archdeacon of Lewes (1815-1823)
Andrew Raynes (b. 1973), English bodybuilder, nicknamed "Stumpy", Mr Universe in 1998 and 1999, multiple-time finalist in Britain's Strongest Man
Edward Peter Raynes MA (MA PhD Camb), C. Phys, FInstP, FRS, English Professor of Optoelectronic Engineering at the University of Oxford (since 1998)
Michael Bernard Raynes (b. 1987), English professional footballer
John Crawshaw Raynes (1887-1929), English recipient of the Victoria Cross
William Robert Raynes (1871-1966), British Labour politician

The Raynes Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Judicium parium aut leges terrae
Motto Translation: The judgement of my peers, or the laws of the land.

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)