Rhymer History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The Rhymer surname is of Norman origin, thought to be derived from the place name Rames in Seine-Inférieure, Normandy.

Early Origins of the Rhymer family

The surname Rhymer was first found in Essex where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor of Metinges. After the Battle of Hastings in 1066, William, Duke of Normandy, having prevailed over King Harold, granted most of Britain to his many victorious Barons. It was not uncommon to find a Baron, or a Bishop, with 60 or more Lordships scattered throughout the country. These he gave to his sons, nephews and other junior lines of his family and they became known as under-tenants. They adopted the Norman system of surnames which identified the under-tenant with his holdings so as to distinguish him from the senior stem of the family. After many rebellious wars between his Barons, Duke William, commissioned a census of all England to determine in 1086, settling once and for all, who held which land. He called the census the Domesday Book, 1 indicating that those holders registered would hold the land until the end of time. Hence, conjecturally, the surname is descended from the tenant of the lands of Metinge and the lands of Ramesdune in Suffolk, where Roger de Rames was an under-tenant who was recorded in the Domesday Book census of 1086. The Rames castle in Normandy was near the forest, west of Bolbec. Roger was given considerable lands in England and directly related to the Mandevilles and the d'Estouteville.

Early History of the Rhymer family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rhymer research. Another 91 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1260 and 1273 are included under the topic Early Rhymer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rhymer Spelling Variations

One 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 Rhymer has appeared include Raimes, Rames, Reams, Ramis, Raimis, Reymes, Rheims, Rhymes and many more.

Early Notables of the Rhymer family

More information is included under the topic Early Rhymer Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rhymer Ranking

In the United States, the name Rhymer is the 14,496^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 2

Migration of the Rhymer family

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 Rhymer arrived in North America very early: Thomas Reames, who settled in Virginia in 1638; Joa. Reams, who came to Virginia in 1681; Mary Reymes, who arrived in Virginia in 1669; and Patrick Reymes, who arrived in New York in 1812..

Contemporary Notables of the name Rhymer (post 1700) +

Kitwana Rhymer (b. 1978), American Virgin Islands two-time silver medalist basketball player
Paul Mills Rhymer, American scriptwriter and humorist best known as the creator of radio's long-run Vic and Sade series
Andrew Rhymer, American producer and production manager, known for Scatterwild (2015), Suckerpunch (2008) and Next Time on Lonny (2011)
Don Rhymer (1961-2012), American two-time BAFTA Award nominated screenwriter and film producer, known for his work on Rio (2011), Big Momma's House (2000), Surf's Up (2007) and many more

Citations +

Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/