Ranfarte History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The ancestry of the name Ranfarte dates from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It comes from when the family lived in the chapelry of Rainford in the parish of Prescot in Lancashire. The surname Ranfarte is a habitation name which forms a broad category of surnames that were derived from place-names. They were derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. In this case the surname Ranfarte was originally derived from the Old English Regnaforde which refers to those individuals who lived by the ford. However, there is also evidence that the name in fact referred to Danish settlers, who came from Randers Fiord, Denmark.

Early Origins of the Ranfarte family

The surname Ranfarte was first found in Lancashire where they were found since ancient times, perhaps even predating the Norman Conquest of England by Duke William of Normandy in 1066 A.D. Early records, and the church cemetery show bearers of the name in Little Crosby, Lancashire.

Early History of the Ranfarte family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ranfarte research. Another 202 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1150, 1469, 1482, 1529, 1537, 1538, 1559, 1605, 1632, 1652, 1660, 1663, 1680, 1690, 1700, 1701, 1709 and 1933 are included under the topic Early Ranfarte History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ranfarte Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Ranfarte have been found, including Rainford, Rainsford, Raynsford, Raynsforde, Reinsford, Reinsforde, Raynesford, Rainesford, Rainesforde, Ranford, Ranforde, Randsford, Randford, Randeford and many more.

Early Notables of the Ranfarte family

Distinguished members of the family include Sir John Raynsford of Bradfield Hall, Essex; and his son, Sir John Raynsford (by 1482-1559) was an English politician, High Sheriff of Essex and Hertfordshire (1537-1538), Member of Parliament for Colchester in 1529; John Raynsford, an English politician, Member of Parliament (MP) for Colchester during the 16th century; and Sir Richard Rainsford SL (1605-1680), an English...
Another 61 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Ranfarte Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Ranfarte family to Ireland

Some of the Ranfarte family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 51 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Ranfarte family

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Ranfarte, or a variant listed above: Edward Rainsford and his wife, who settled in Salem Massachusetts in 1630; Captain Rainford, who settled in Jamaica in 1774, with his wife and three children.