Contents [hide]

Rayson History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Ireland United States Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Citations

Rayson History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland
Scotland

The name Rayson was brought to England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. It comes from the Norman given name Ralph. This name, which also occurs as Ralf, Rolf, and Raoul, is adapted from the Old French given name Raol. 1 2

Early Origins of the Rayson family

The surname Rayson was first found in Yorkshire where "Rawson has been a familiar Yorkshire surname for the last five hundred years." 3

The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed: Willelmus Raufson, 1379; Johannes Rauson; and Ricardus Raweson.

Further north in Scotland, the first record of the name was William Rauessone of Berwickshire who rendered homage to King Edward I of England in 1296. Later, Andrew Rawsoun was messenger of arms in Banff in 1569 and James Rawson was reidare at Raffort, 1574. 4

Early History of the Rayson family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rayson research. Another 146 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1300, 1470, 1476, 1478, 1483, 1517, 1543, 1547, 1570, 1595, 1615, 1616, 1626, 1655, 1656, 1692, 1693 and 1849 are included under the topic Early Rayson History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rayson Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Rawson, Rawsone and others.

Early Notables of the Rayson family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was John Rawson, Viscount Clontarff (c. 1470-1547.) He was descended from an ancient family seated at Water Fryston in Yorkshire; his father, Richard Rawson, was from 1478 to 1483, senior warden of the Mercers' Company, and in 1476 served as alderman in London, subsequently becoming sheriff. In 1517 Rawson was made Treasurer of Ireland. A brother Richard (died 1543) was chaplain to Henry VIII and archdeacon of Essex. 5Edward Rawson (1615-1693), was an English settler to America from Dorset...
Another 85 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Rayson Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Rayson family to Ireland

Some of the Rayson family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rayson migration to the United States +

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Rayson or a variant listed above:

Rayson Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Mathew Rayson, who landed in Virginia in 1635 6

Rayson Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Jack Henry Rayson, aged 20, who landed in America from London, England, in 1910
George Rayson, aged 42, who immigrated to the United States from Crushwaite, England, in 1911
Tom Rayson, aged 11, who immigrated to the United States from Silloth, England, in 1912
Jessie M. Rayson, aged 35, who settled in America from Grantham, England, in 1912
Mary Rayson, aged 42, who immigrated to the United States from Silloth, England, in 1912
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Rayson migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Rayson Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

John Rayson, aged 30, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1852 aboard the ship "Charlotte Jane" 7
Charles Rayson, aged 26, who arrived in South Australia in 1853 aboard the ship "Neptune" 8

Rayson migration to New Zealand +

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:

Rayson Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Thomas Rayson, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Excelsior" in 1871 9

Contemporary Notables of the name Rayson (post 1700) +

John C. Rayson (b. 1949), American attorney and politician, mayor of Pompano Beach, Florida from 2004 to 2007
Roger William Rayson (b. 1942), Australian cricketer
Noel Rayson (b. 1933), former Australian rules footballer
Hannie Rayson (b. 1957), Australian playwright
Arthur William Rayson (1898-1970), Australian rules footballer
Edward Rayson Roe (1838-1888), American novelist

The Rayson Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Laus virtutis actio
Motto Translation: The Praise of Virtue is Action

Citations +

Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. 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)
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
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)
South Australian Register Tuesday 3 February 1852. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) CHARLOTTE JANE 1852. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/charlottejane1852.shtml
South Australian Register Wednesday 26 October 1853. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Neptune 1853. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/neptune1853.shtml
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 4th November 2011). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html