Rawley History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsThe name Rawley first arose amongst the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is derived from their having lived in the village of Raleigh in the county of Devon. This place-name was originally derived from the Old English ra leah meaning a meadow for deer. 1 Early Origins of the Rawley familyThe surname Rawley was first found in Devon where one of the first records of the name was William de Raley (or William de Ralegh or William Raleigh) (died 1250) a medieval judge, administrator and bishop. Born in Devon, he became Bishop of Winchester, "but it is doubtful to which of the four branches of the Devonshire Raleighs he belonged. In 1212 he was presented by King John to the church of Bratton, and was employed in judicial business in Lincolnshire and Cumberland in 1226-1227." 2 "According to Fuller, they derived their name from 'a well-known town' in that county. I cannot discover any town, or even village, so called." 3 However another source provides more clues about the bishop's origin: "Ralegh, Bishop of Winchester, 1244, was born at Ralegh, in the parish of Pilton, the original seat of this famous family. " 4 The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list the following: Hugh de Ralegh in Devon; and Warin de Raleghe in Somerset. 5 Early History of the Rawley familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rawley research. Another 153 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1300, 1552, 1586, 1597, 1600, 1605, 1618, 1626, 1641, 1646, 1659 and 1666 are included under the topic Early Rawley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Rawley Spelling VariationsOne relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Rawley has appeared include Raleigh, Rawleigh, Rawley, Rawle, Rawles and others. Early Notables of the Rawley familyNotables of this surname at this time include:
Rawley RankingIn the United States, the name Rawley is the 16,035th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 6 Migration of the Rawley family to IrelandSome of the Rawley family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Rawley arrived in North America very early: Rawley Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
Rawley Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Rawley Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include: Rawley Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include: Rawley Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
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