Ringewoyd History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Ringewoyd was brought to England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Ringewoyd family lived at Ringwood, in Hampshire. Since in Old English the word hring meant both circle and boundary, it is thought that the name of this place indicated was a reference to the edge of a forest.

Early Origins of the Ringewoyd family

The surname Ringewoyd was first found in Hampshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor of Ringwood. At the time of the taking of the Domesday Book in the year 1086, a survey of England initiated by Duke William of Normandy after his Conquest of England at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D., Ringwood was held as King's land and the holder is not named. As was the Norman custom the second son of the Norman holder of the land assumed the name of the Manor and village. In 1086, the village held two mills.

Early History of the Ringewoyd family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ringewoyd research. Another 75 words (5 lines of text) covering the year 1685 is included under the topic Early Ringewoyd History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ringewoyd Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Ringwood, Ringewood, Ringwode and others.

Early Notables of the Ringewoyd family

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

Migration of the Ringewoyd family to Ireland

Some of the Ringewoyd 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.

Migration of the Ringewoyd family

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Ringewoyd or a variant listed above: Robert Ringwood who landed in North America in 1753.