Rackly History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The Rackly surname is a habitational name from a place in Sussex, so named from Old English words "hreac," meaning "mound," and "ham," or "homestead."

Early Origins of the Rackly family

The surname Rackly was first found in Sussex, at Rackham, a hamlet, in the parish of Amberley, hundred of West Easrith, rape of Arundel. 1

The name is very rare as we could find only early entry for the name in Suffolk when John Rackham was listed in the Subsidy Rolls there in 1524. 2

Early History of the Rackly family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rackly research. Another 79 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1455, 1487, 1682 and 1720 are included under the topic Early Rackly History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rackly Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Rackly have been found, including Rackham, Reckham, Rakeham, Rackley, Rakeley and others.

Early Notables of the Rackly family

Distinguished members of the family include John "Calico Jack" Rackham (Rackam, Rackum) (1682-1720), an English pirate operating in the Bahamas during the early 18th century. He was captured, then hanged outside Port Royal, Jamaica in 1720. Rackham is best remembered for his design of his Jolly Roger flag, a skull with crossed swords, which contributed to the popularization of the design; and for having two female crew members: Mary...
Another 69 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Rackly Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rackly migration to the United States +

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Rackly, or a variant listed above:

Rackly Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Rich Rackly, who landed in Virginia in 1639 3

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
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)