Ralstrick History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Early Origins of the Ralstrick family

The surname Ralstrick was first found in the West Riding of Yorkshire where the earliest record of the name was found as Rastric (Rastrick) in the Domesday Book. There we found two entries for the place: the first in Morley Wapentake and the second in the West Riding. (both entries are referring to the same place) 1 Rastrick is now a "chapelry, in the parish and union of Halifax, wapentake of Morley." 2

Today Rastrick is a village in the West Riding near Brighouse and Huddersfield where remains of an ancient fort have been found at Castle Hill. The name was derived from the Old Scandinavian word "rost" + the Old English word "ric" and probably meant "raised strip or ridge with a resting place" 3 The earliest record of the family was found in this parish where Roger de Rastric was recorded in the Pipe Rolls of 1212. 4 5 John de Rastrik was listed at Wakefield in 1274 and the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 include an entry for Katerina Rastrik (Rastrike). 4 6

Early History of the Ralstrick family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ralstrick research. Another 58 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1212, 1274, 1379, 1650, 1660, 1674, 1687 and 1727 are included under the topic Early Ralstrick History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ralstrick Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries. For that reason, spelling variations are common among many Anglo-Norman names. The shape of the English language was frequently changed with the introduction of elements of Norman French, Latin, and other European languages; even the spelling of literate people's names were subsequently modified. Ralstrick has been recorded under many different variations, including Rastick, Rastich, Raistrick, Raistrich, Rasticke and many more.

Early Notables of the Ralstrick family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was John Rastrisk (1650-1727), English nonconformist minister, son of John and Afling Raistrige, born at Heckington, Lincolnshire. He was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, and graduated B.A. 1660, M.A. 1674. Having taken orders, he became in 1674 vicar of Kirton, Lincolnshire. His parish was not populous, but wide and scattered, and he applied himself to pastoral work with great assiduity. Acting on puritan principles, he withheld baptism from illegitimate children till there was evidence of the parents' penitence, and restricted the communion to those whom he deemed duly prepared. He allowed the scrupulous to...
Another 100 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Ralstrick Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Ralstrick family

To escape the uncertainty of the political and religious uncertainty found in England, many English families boarded ships at great expense to sail for the colonies held by Britain. The passages were expensive, though, and the boats were unsafe, overcrowded, and ridden with disease. Those who were hardy and lucky enough to make the passage intact were rewarded with land, opportunity, and social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families went on to be important contributors to the young nations of Canada and the United States where they settled. Ralstricks were some of the first of the immigrants to arrive in North America: F. J. Rastrick, who was on record in the census of Ontario, Canada of 1871.

Citations +

Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)