Ranfork History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The Ranfork name has descended through the generations from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. Their name comes from having lived in the chapelry of Rainford in the parish of Prescot in Lancashire. The surname Ranfork 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 Ranfork 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 Ranfork family

The surname Ranfork 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 Ranfork family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ranfork 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 Ranfork History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ranfork Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Ranfork has undergone many spelling variations, including Rainford, Rainsford, Raynsford, Raynsforde, Reinsford, Reinsforde, Raynesford, Rainesford, Rainesforde, Ranford, Ranforde, Randsford, Randford, Randeford and many more.

Early Notables of the Ranfork 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 Ranfork Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Ranfork family to Ireland

Some of the Ranfork 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 Ranfork family

To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Ranfork were among those contributors: 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.