Rawdan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The Rawdan surname is a habitational name, taken on from a place name in West Yorkshire. The place name comes from the Old Norse "rauðr" meaning "red," and "du-n," or "hill." Other records show the name translated as “a dweller in the rough valley.” 1 Today, Rawdon is a village in the City of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.

Early Origins of the Rawdan family

The surname Rawdan was first found in West Riding of Yorkshire where the village of Rawdon dates back to before the Domesday Book where it was listed as Roudun and was held be Robert de Bruis. 2 Hence, conjecturally, the surname is descended from the tenant of the lands of Rawdon. The name was derived from the Old Norse word rauthr + the Old English word dun and meant "red hill." 1 "Rawdon, in the parish of Guiseley in this county, is the original seat of this ancient family, which is traced to Thor de Rawdon, whose son Serlo lived in the reign of Stephen." 3

Early History of the Rawdan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rawdan research. Another 91 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1582, 1604, 1610, 1662, 1668, 1669, 1684, 1695, 1720, 1750 and 1793 are included under the topic Early Rawdan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rawdan Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Rawdon, Rawden, Rawdan, Rawdyn, Rawdin, Rowden, Rowdon and many more.

Early Notables of the Rawdan family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Francis Rawdon (1582-c.1668), English noble from Rawdon, Yorkshire; and his son, Sir George Rawdon, 1st Baronet (1604-1684) at Rawdon, Yorkshire, England who moved to Moira, County Down. Marmaduke Rawdon (1610-1669), was an English traveller and antiquary...
Another 42 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Rawdan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Rawdan family to Ireland

Some of the Rawdan family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 88 words (6 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 Rawdan family

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World 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 stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Rawdan or a variant listed above: Richard Rowdon, who settled in Lynn, MA sometime between 1620 and 1650; Robert Rowden, who settled in Virginia in 1636; Thomas Rawdon, who settled in Barbados in 1655.

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.