Rayley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The ancestors of the name Rayley date back to the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the Rayley family 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 Rayley family

The surname Rayley 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 Rayley family

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

Rayley Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Rayley are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Rayley include: Raleigh, Rawleigh, Rawley, Rawle, Rawles and others.

Early Notables of the Rayley family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Sir Walter Raleigh (1552-1618), a court favorite of Queen Elizabeth I, known for his expeditions to the New World; and his second son, Walter Raleigh or Ralegh (1586-1646), an English divine, Dean of Wells from 1641 until his death in a scuffle; and Carew Raleigh or Ralegh (1605-1666), first son of Sir Walter Raleigh...
Another 62 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Rayley Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Rayley family to Ireland

Some of the Rayley family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 97 words (7 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 Rayley family

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Rayley or a variant listed above: Sarah Rawleigh settled with her husband in Virginia in 1663; Mary Rawles settled in Virginia in 1653; Elizabeth Rawleigh settled in Pennsylvania in 1772.

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Worth, R.N., A History of Devonshire London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, E.G., 1895. Digital
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)