Show ContentsRants History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The earliest origins of the name Rants date back to the time of the Anglo-Saxons. The name is derived from Randolph of which it is a short form. The surname Rants referred to the son of Randolph which belongs to the category of patronymic surnames.

Early Origins of the Rants family

The surname Rants was first found in Norfolk at Yelverton, a parish, in the union of Loddon and Clavering, hundred of Henstead. "The church [of Yelverton] is an ancient structure in the decorated and early English styles, with a square embattled tower, and contains several handsome monuments to the families of Rant, Playter and Day; and a Norman font. The sum of £27 per annum, arising from land purchased with a bequest by Mrs. Anne Rant in 1698, is divided between the rector and the poor, the latter of whom have also 4 acres that were allotted at the inclosure." 1

Early History of the Rants family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rants research. Another 92 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1578, 1604, 1606, 1650, 1660 and 1671 are included under the topic Early Rants History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rants Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Rants include Rand, Rande, Rynd, Rynde, Raynd, Raynde and others.

Early Notables of the Rants family

Another 44 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Rants Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Rants family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Rants or a variant listed above: James Rand, who arrived in Plymouth in 1621 a year after the "Mayflower"; Francis Rand, who settled in New Hampshire in 1630; John Rand, who settled in Virginia in 1690.



  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.


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