Racks History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Wales

The origins of the Welsh name Racks go back to the ancient Celtic culture that existed in the hills and Moors of Wales. The forbears that initially held the name Racks once lived near a pass or narrow valley. The surname Racks is derived from the Old English word hraca, which means throat. The surname Racks belongs to the class of topographic surnames, which were given to people who resided near physical features such as hills, streams, churches, or types of trees. However, the surname Racks may be derived from residence at The Rake in Sussex, at Raikes Farm in Surrey, or at Raikes in the West Riding of Yorkshire. In this case, the surname Racks belongs to the category of habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Racks family

The surname Racks was first found in Lincolnshire, where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.

Early History of the Racks family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Racks research. Another 94 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1690 and 1757 are included under the topic Early Racks History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Racks Spelling Variations

Although there are comparatively few Welsh surnames, they have a great many spelling variations. Variations of Welsh names began almost immediately after their acceptance within Welsh society. In the Middle Ages, it was up to priests and the few other people that recorded names in official documents to decide how to spell the names that they heard. Variations that occurred because of improper recording increased dramatically as the names were later transliterated into English. The Brythonic Celtic language of Wales, known by natives as Cymraeg, featured many highly inflected sounds that could not be properly captured by the English language. Spelling variations were, however, also carried out according to an individual's design: a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations were all indicated by the particular variation of one's name. The spelling variations of the name Racks have included Raikes, Raike, Raik, Rakes, Rake and others.

Early Notables of the Racks family

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

Migration of the Racks family

Many Welsh joined the great migrations to North America in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Like their Scottish and Irish neighbors, many Welsh families left their homeland hoping to find hope and prosperity in a land that the English did not exercise a tight rule over. Those Welsh immigrants that successfully traveled to North America went on to make significant contributions to the rapid development of both Canada and the United States in terms of the settling of land and the establishment of industry. They also added to the rich cultural heritage of both countries. An examination into the immigration and passenger lists has discovered a number of people bearing the name Racks: Andrew Rakes, who came to Barbados in 1654; Phyllis Rakes and her husband settled in Antigua in 1684; Weston Rakes settled in Virginia in 1752.

The Racks Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Honestum praeferre utili
Motto Translation: To prefer the honest to the profitable.