Reyne History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Reyne was brought to England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. It comes from the short forms of various Germanic personal names containing the element Ragin, meaning counsel. It it thought that the name could also have been derived from Rennes, in Brittany. 1 However, not all of the family joined the Conqueror as seen by the listing of Warenger Raine in Normandy (1180-1195.) 2

Phillipe de Rim or De Remi (c. 1246-1296), was long treated by English authorities as an Anglo-Norman poet, to whom were assigned two romances 'La Manekine' and 'Jehan de Dammartin et Blonde d'Oxford.' "Both show a close knowledge of Scottish and English life and topography in the thirteenth century." 3

Early Origins of the Reyne family

The surname Reyne was first found in Essex where Roger Rayne was granted lands at Rayne as companion in arms of William the Conqueror. 4 5 Other early spellings of the name include De Raines and Raneis. 1

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list the following: Alice Reine in Cambridgeshire; John Reyn and Nicholas Reyn in Lincolnshire; Robert de Rennes in Oxfordshire; and Richard de Rennes. 6

The Feet of Fines for Essex in 1203-1204 includes an entry for Alveva de Reines and later the Subsidy Rolls for Yorkshire includes Richard de Rayns in 1297. Later Nicholas de Reynes was found in the Feet of Fines for Yorkshire in 1301. 5

The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 lists: Robert Rayne; Johannes Rayne; Richard Rayneson; and William Rayne. 6

Early History of the Reyne family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Reyne research. Another 84 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1150, 1280 and 1530 are included under the topic Early Reyne History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Reyne 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 Raines, Raine, Rayne and others.

Early Notables of the Reyne family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

John Reynes (fl. 1530), an English stationer and bookbinder in London, carried on business at the sign of St...

Migration of the Reyne family

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 Reyne or a variant listed above: Andrew, Roland, and Sarah Rayne, who all came to Virginia in 1635; Francis Raines, who arrived in Barbados in 1657; Robert Raines, who arrived in Barbados in 1679.

The Reyne 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: Judicium parium aut leges terrae
Motto Translation: The judgement of my peers, or the laws of the land.

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
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)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)