Rylance History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Rylance is an ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Rylance family lived in Lincolnshire at Ryland, a hamlet, in the parish of Welton, wapentake of Lawress, parts of Lindsey. 1

This name is a topographical reference to land owned by the Rye family in this county. Rye is also topographical and indicates that the original bearer of the name lived near to a field of rye, and was distinguished by this proximity.

Mr. J. Paul Rylands, F.S.A., says the name 'Ryelands is derived from the Anglo-Saxon rye or rhee, a water-course or stream, and lands, the lands adjoining or above the stream.'

Early Origins of the Rylance family

The surname Rylance was first found in Lancashire where Robert del Ruylondes, of West Halghton was recorded 1 Edward III. The same source notes William de Rylondes, of Halghton, 6 Edward III and Nicholas del Rylondes, 1436. 2

Another source notes Stephen de Riland in c. 1232-1245 and John de Rylaundes in the Assize Rolls for Lancashire in 1281. Later in Cheshire, Thomas de Rilond was listed in the Assize Rolls c. 1296. 3

Early History of the Rylance family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rylance research. Another 179 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1500, 1723, 1753, 1759, 1760, 1767, 1769, 1771, 1781, 1782, 1786, 1792, 1822, 1825 and 1838 are included under the topic Early Rylance History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rylance Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Ryland, Roylance, Rylander, Rilands, Rylands and others.

Early Notables of the Rylance family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was John Collett Ryland (1723-1792), English divine, son of Joseph Ryland, a farmer and grazier of Lower Ditchford, Gloucestershire, and grandson of John Ryland, yeoman, of Hinton-on-the-Green, Gloucestershire, born at Bourton-on-the-Water in the same county on 12 Oct. 1723. In October 1759 Ryland left Warwick for Northampton, where he lived twenty-six years as minister and schoolmaster, his pupils often numbering as many as ninety. Ryland died at Enfield on 24 July 1792, and was buried at Northampton, his funeral sermon (two editions, 1792) being preached by Dr. John Rippon. 4John Ryland (1753-1825), Baptist minister...
Another 221 words (16 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Rylance Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Rylance family to Ireland

Some of the Rylance 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.

Rylance migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Rylance or a variant listed above:

Rylance Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Walter Rylance, who arrived in Arkansas in 1890 5

Rylance Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Harry Rylance, aged 4, who landed in America from Newton Heath, England, in 1909
Elizabeth Rylance, aged 53, who immigrated to the United States from Manchester, England, in 1910
Henry Rylance, aged 32, who settled in America from Hyde, England, in 1913
Mary Ann Rylance, aged 29, who immigrated to the United States from Hyde, England, in 1913
John Rylance, aged 24, who landed in America, in 1924

Contemporary Notables of the name Rylance (post 1700) +

J. B. Rylance, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Alabama, 1916 6
Ronald "Ron" Rylance (b. 1924), retired professional Rugby League World Cup winning footballer
Juliet Rylance (b. 1979), born Juliet van Kampen, English Obie Award-winning actress
Georgina Elizabeth Rylance (b. 1978), English actress, best known for her role in Dinotopia
Mark Rylance (b. 1960), English actor, theatre director and playwright
Mervyn Hamilton "Merv" Rylance (1906-1983), Australian rugby union player

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, 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)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
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)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 19) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html