Raynesford History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The Anglo-Saxon name Raynesford comes from when the family resided in the chapelry of Rainford in the parish of Prescot in Lancashire. The surname Raynesford is a habitation name which forms a broad category of surnames that were derived from place-names. They were derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. In this case the surname Raynesford was originally derived from the Old English Regnaforde which refers to those individuals who lived by the ford. However, there is also evidence that the name in fact referred to Danish settlers, who came from Randers Fiord, Denmark.

Early Origins of the Raynesford family

The surname Raynesford was first found in Lancashire where they were found since ancient times, perhaps even predating the Norman Conquest of England by Duke William of Normandy in 1066 A.D. Early records, and the church cemetery show bearers of the name in Little Crosby, Lancashire.

Early History of the Raynesford family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Raynesford research. Another 202 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1150, 1469, 1482, 1529, 1537, 1538, 1559, 1605, 1632, 1652, 1660, 1663, 1680, 1690, 1700, 1701, 1709 and 1933 are included under the topic Early Raynesford History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Raynesford Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Raynesford has been recorded under many different variations, including Rainford, Rainsford, Raynsford, Raynsforde, Reinsford, Reinsforde, Raynesford, Rainesford, Rainesforde, Ranford, Ranforde, Randsford, Randford, Randeford and many more.

Early Notables of the Raynesford family

Distinguished members of the family include Sir John Raynsford of Bradfield Hall, Essex; and his son, Sir John Raynsford (by 1482-1559) was an English politician, High Sheriff of Essex and Hertfordshire (1537-1538), Member of Parliament for Colchester in 1529; John Raynsford, an English politician, Member of Parliament (MP) for Colchester during the 16th century; and Sir Richard Rainsford SL (1605-1680), an English...
Another 61 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Raynesford Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Raynesford family to Ireland

Some of the Raynesford family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 51 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Raynesford family

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Raynesford or a variant listed above: Edward Rainsford and his wife, who settled in Salem Massachusetts in 1630; Captain Rainford, who settled in Jamaica in 1774, with his wife and three children.

Contemporary Notables of the name Raynesford (post 1700) +

Thomas Raynesford Lounsbury (1838-1915), American literary historian and critic, member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters