Raack History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Wales

The origins of the Welsh name Raack go back to the ancient Celtic culture that existed in the hills and Moors of Wales. The forbears that initially held the name Raack once lived near a pass or narrow valley. The surname Raack is derived from the Old English word hraca, which means throat. The surname Raack belongs to the class of topographic surnames, which were given to people who resided near physical features such as hills, streams, churches, or types of trees. However, the surname Raack may be derived from residence at The Rake in Sussex, at Raikes Farm in Surrey, or at Raikes in the West Riding of Yorkshire. In this case, the surname Raack belongs to the category of habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Raack family

The surname Raack was first found in Lincolnshire, where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.

Early History of the Raack family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Raack research. Another 94 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1690 and 1757 are included under the topic Early Raack History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Raack Spelling Variations

There are relatively few surnames native to Wales, but they have an inordinately large number of spelling variations. Early variations of Welsh surnames can be explained by the fact that very few people in the early Middle Ages were literate. Priests and the few other literate people were responsible for recording names in official documents. And because most people could not specific how to properly record their names it was up to the individual recorder of that time to determine how a spoken name should be recorded. Variations due to the imprecise or improper recording of a name continued later in history when names originally composed in the Brythonic Celtic, language of Wales, known by natives as Cymraeg, were transliterated into English. Welsh names that were documented in English often changed dramatically since the native language of Wales, which was highly inflected, did not copy well. Occasionally, however, spelling variations were carried out according to an individual's specific design: a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations could be indicated by minor variations. The spelling variations of the name Raack have included Raikes, Raike, Raik, Rakes, Rake and others.

Early Notables of the Raack family

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

Migration of the Raack family

Many Welsh families joined their Scottish and Irish neighbors during the late 1800s and early 1900s in seeking refuge in North America. Like the Irish and Scottish, many Welsh anxiously awaited the work, freedom, and opportunities that they believed lay in North America. Those who did journey over to the United States and what became known as Canada often realized those dreams, but only through much toil and perseverance. Whenever and however these Welsh immigrants arrived in North America, they were instrumental in the creation of the industry, commerce, and cultural heritage within those two developing nations. In the immigration and passenger lists a number of early immigrants bearing the name Raack were found: Andrew Rakes, who came to Barbados in 1654; Phyllis Rakes and her husband settled in Antigua in 1684; Weston Rakes settled in Virginia in 1752.

The Raack 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: Honestum praeferre utili
Motto Translation: To prefer the honest to the profitable.