Raik History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Wales

The origins of the Welsh name Raik go back to the ancient Celtic culture that existed in the hills and Moors of Wales. The forbears that initially held the name Raik once lived near a pass or narrow valley. The surname Raik is derived from the Old English word hraca, which means throat. The surname Raik 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 Raik 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 Raik belongs to the category of habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Raik family

The surname Raik 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 Raik family

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

Raik Spelling Variations

Welsh surnames are relatively few in number, but they have an inordinately large number of spelling variations. There are many factors that explain the preponderance of Welsh variants, but the earliest is found during the Middle Ages when Welsh surnames came into use. Scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, which often resulted in a single person's name being inconsistently recorded over his lifetime. The transliteration of Welsh names into English also accounts for many of the spelling variations: the unique Brythonic Celtic language of the Welsh had many sounds the English language was incapable of accurately reproducing. It was also common for members of a same surname to change their names slightly, in order to signify a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations. For all of these reasons, the many spelling variations of particular Welsh names are very important. The surname Raik has occasionally been spelled Raikes, Raike, Raik, Rakes, Rake and others.

Early Notables of the Raik family

Prominent amongst the family during the late Middle Ages was

Robert Raikes the Elder (1690-1757), a British printer and newspaper proprietor from the East Riding of Yorkshire

Migration of the Raik family

The Welsh migration to North America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries contributed greatly to its rapid development. These migrants were in search of land, work, and freedom. Those Welsh families that survived the long ocean journey were critical to the development of new industries and factories, and to the quick settlement of land. They also added to an ever-growing rich cultural heritage. A search of the immigration and passenger lists has shown a number of people bearing the name Raik: 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 Raik 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.