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An excerpt from www.HouseOfNames.com archives copyright © 2000 - 2012
Rait Family Crest
Rait Family Crest
Rait

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Contents

Origins Available: Belgium, French, Scottish

Where did the French Rait family come from? What is the French Rait family crest and coat of arms? When did the Rait family first arrive in the United States? Where did the various branches of the family go? What is the Rait family history?

From the historical and enchanting region of France emerged a multitude of noble families, including the distinguished Rait family. Originally, the French people were known only by a single name. The process by which hereditary surnames were adopted in France is extremely interesting. Surnames evolved during the Middle Ages when people began to assume an extra name to avoid confusion and to further identify themselves. Often they adopted names that were derived from nicknames. Nickname surnames were derived from an eke-name, or added name. They usually reflected the physical characteristics or attributes of the first person that used the name. The name Rait is a nickname type of surname for a person of regal bearing or a person who played a king in a local festival. Looking back further, we find the name Rait was derived from the Old French word "roy," meaning "king."

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Spelling variations of this family name include: Ray, Rays, Raie, Raies, Raye, Rayes, Rée, Rées, Rait, Rey, Reys, Rei, Reis, Duray, Leray, De Laray, Laray, du Ray, de Ray, Delurey and many more.

First found in Bourgogne, where the family has held a family seat since ancient times.


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This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rait research. Another 221 words(16 lines of text) covering the years 1098, 1306, 1330, 1470, 1533, 1570, 1583, 1645, 1726, and 1803 are included under the topic Early Rait History in all our PDF Extended History products.

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Another 49 words(4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Rait Notables in all our PDF Extended History products.

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Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Rait Settlers in the United States in the 17th Century


  • James Rait, who arrived in Nevis sometime between 1653 and 1675

Rait Settlers in the United States in the 19th Century


  • Robert Rait, who came to New York in 1833
  • Crichton S. Rait, who settled in New York, NY sometime between 1844 and 1877
  • Helen Rait, who arrived in New York in 1872

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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: Gracieuseté de Ray
Motto Translation: The graciousness of Ray

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  1. Rasmussen, Louis J. . San Francisco Ship Passenger Lists 4 Volumes Colma, California 1965 Reprint. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1978. Print.
  2. D'Hozier Charles. Armorial Général de France. Paris: Dillon, 1875. Print.
  3. Samuelsen, W. David. New York City Passenger List Manifests Index 1820 - 1824. North Salt Lake, Utah: Accelerated Indexing Systems International, 1986. Print.
  4. de la Porte, A. Tresor Heraldique. Paris: F. Casterman, 1864. Print.
  5. Rolland, and H.V. Rolland. Illustrations to the Armorial general by J. B. Rietstap 6 volumes in 3. Baltimore: Heraldic Book Company, 1976. Print.
  6. Colletta, John P. They Came In Ships. Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 1993. Print.
  7. Browning, Charles H. Americans of Royal Descent. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing. Print.
  8. Robb H. Amanda and Andrew Chesler. Encyclopedia of American Family Names. New York: Haper Collins, 1995. Print. (ISBN 0-06-270075-8).
  9. Guérard, Albert Léon. France: a Modern History. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1959. Print.
  10. Conrad, Glenn R. The First Families of Louisiana. Baton Rouge LA: Claitor's Publishing, 1970. Print.
  11. ...

The Rait Family Crest was acquired from the Houseofnames.com archives. The Rait Family Crest was drawn according to heraldic standards based on published blazons. We generally include the oldest published family crest once associated with each surname.

This page was last modified on 16 March 2010 at 08:00.

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