Ryngwood History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Ryngwood is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Ryngwood 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 Ryngwood family

The surname Ryngwood 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 Ryngwood family

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

Ryngwood 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 Ringwood, Ringewood, Ringwode and others.

Early Notables of the Ryngwood family

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

Migration of the Ryngwood family to Ireland

Some of the Ryngwood 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 Ryngwood family

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 Ryngwood or a variant listed above: Robert Ringwood who landed in North America in 1753.