Rainy History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

The name Rainy was first used by the ancient Strathclyde-Briton people of the Scottish/English Borderlands. The first Rainy family lived in De Reiney, or Rigny, in Champagne, France. "Hagebert de Rigneio, in 1101, witnessed a charter of the Bishop of Tulle, and may have been the same that possessed lands in Essex in 1086 1 Roger de Reigny witnessed a charter of Bishop Roger of Sarum, temp. Hen. I., and Robert de Reigny held five fees in Devon in 1165." 2 Newton-Reigny, in the Forest of Inglewood, was their seat in Cumberland. 3

Early Origins of the Rainy family

The surname Rainy was first found in Angus (Gaelic: Aonghas), part of the Tayside region of northeastern Scotland, and present day Council Area of Angus, formerly known as Forfar or Forfarshire.

"The Ranys or Rennys were extensive owners of land in the district of Craig in Angus from the middle of the fifteenth century, and the Rennies of Usan were recognized as an old family. Symon Renny was bailie of Inverkeithing in 1362. John Rayny, pelliparius, was burgess of Stirling in 1436." 4

Early History of the Rainy family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rainy research. Another 187 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1402, 1409, 1526, 1572, 1592, 1798 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Rainy History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rainy Spelling Variations

Surnames that evolved in Scotland in the Middle Ages often appear under many spelling variations. These are due to the practice of spelling according to sound in the era before dictionaries had standardized the English language. Rainy has appeared as Rayney, Rainy, Rainey, Rainnie, Rennie, Renny and many more.

Early Notables of the Rainy family

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

Migration of the Rainy family to Ireland

Some of the Rainy family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 124 words (9 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rainy migration to the United States +

The North American colonies beckoned, with their ample land and opportunity as their freedom from the persecution suffered by so many Clan families back home. Many Scots even fought against England in the American War of Independence to gain this freedom. Recently, clan societies have allowed the ancestors of these brave Scottish settlers to rediscover their familial roots. Among them:

Rainy Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Luke Rainy who settled in Virginia in 1679

Rainy Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

John Rainy, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1860 5

Contemporary Notables of the name Rainy (post 1700) +

Harry Rainy (1792-1876), Scottish physician, born at Criech, Sutherlandshire, youngest son of George Rainy (d. 1810), minister of Criech, and Anne
Adam Rolland Rainy (1862-1911), Liberal Party politician in Scotland who sat in the House of Commons
Robert Rainy (1826-1906), Scottish theologian

Citations +

Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
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)
Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 3 of 3
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
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)