Rudstown History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancestors of the bearers of the Rudstown family name are thought have lived in ancient Anglo-Saxon England. They were first found in Rudston, a place in the East Riding of Yorkshire in the medieval era; since the local government reorganization in England in 1974, it is found in Humberside. The place name Rudston is derived from the Old English elements rod and stan. Rod in this case means a crucifix; it was pronounced rood, which is its Modern English form. Stan means stone. The place name translates as "cross of stone," and was a place where a stone cross had been erected. Rudston Monolith, almost 26 feet high, close to Rudston Parish Church of All Saints is the tallest standing stone in Britain.1

Early Origins of the Rudstown family

The surname Rudstown was first found in Yorkshire where they held a family seat from ancient times at Hayton, some say before the Norman Conquest in 1066.

Early History of the Rudstown family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rudstown research. Another 60 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1170 and 1528 are included under the topic Early Rudstown History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rudstown Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Rudstown include Rudston, Rudstone and others.

Early Notables of the Rudstown family

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

Migration of the Rudstown family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled 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 ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Rudstown or a variant listed above: Elizabeth Rudston, her husband, and child, who settled in Virginia in 1635.

Citations +

Winn, Christopher, I Never Knew that about Yorkshire. Croydon: The Random House Group Limited, 2010. Print. (ISBN 978-0-09-193313-5)