Ravenell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Ravenell is a name that was carried to England in the great wave of migration from Normandy following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Ravenell family lived in Herefordshire. Their name, however, is a reference to Revenel, Normandy, the family's place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. 1 The place name in Normandy literally means "hanneton, small rave, yellow flower, clove."2 However, another source claims the name is from Ravenhill in the North Riding of Yorkshire "or some other 'raven-hill.'" 3

"Jordan de Revenell and Thomas his son witnessed a charter of Richard de Luvetot, confirming his father's grants to Worksop Abbey. This was in the reign of Stephen. The name occurs in the Duchy. " 1

Two sources claim the name is a local name as in "the Hill frequented by Ravens." 4 5 And another source comments on this claim "this is easy enough to write, and, of course, it is well-nigh impossible to contradict the statement. At the same time I cannot discover a hill so called, nor any entry with a local prefix. Yet the surname is a familiar one, there being eight in the London Directory alone. The following entries prove the surname is patronymic from the persona name, Ravenchil. There may also be connections to Rauenchil, Yorkshire. " 6

Early Origins of the Ravenell family

The surname Ravenell was first found in Herefordshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor of Rovenhall.

However, we must look to the ancient county of Kent, "The Garden of England," home of Canterbury Cathedral, the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury for this first records of the family. For it is there, that the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed Mariota Ravenild and Robertus Ravenild. 6

Later in Yorkshire, the Subsidy Rolls of 1297 listed Willelmus filius Rauenilde. In Cheshire, Matilda Rafenild was listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1279. The Pipe Rolls of 1230 included an entry for Nicholas de Rauenhill in Herefordshire. 3

Early History of the Ravenell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ravenell research. Another 190 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1700, 1743, 1787, 1813 and 1904 are included under the topic Early Ravenell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ravenell Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, Norman French and other languages became incorporated into English throughout the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Ravenell include Ravenel, Ravenell, Ravenhill, Ravenhall, Ravenholl and many more.

Early Notables of the Ravenell family

More information is included under the topic Early Ravenell Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ravenell migration to the United States +

In England at this time, the uncertainty of the political and religious environment of the time caused many families to board ships for distant British colonies in the hopes of finding land and opportunity, and escaping persecution. The voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, though, and many arrived in North America sick, starved, and destitute. Those who did make it, however, were greeted with greater opportunities and freedoms that they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Early immigration records have shown some of the first Ravenells to arrive on North American shores:

Ravenell Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Mary Ravenell, who landed in America in 1654-1679 7
Mary Ravenell who settled in Virginia in 1660

Citations +

The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Dionne, N.-E., Les Canadiens-Francais Origine Des Familles. Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 1969. Print
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.
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. 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)
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)