Show ContentsRagle History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Ragle surname comes from the historic village of Raglan (Welsh: Rhaglan) in Monmouthshire, known for its castle.

Early Origins of the Ragle family

The surname Ragle was first found in Monmouthshire (Welsh: Sir Fynwy), 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 Ragle family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ragle research. Another 79 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1513, 1550, 1563 and 1578 are included under the topic Early Ragle History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ragle 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 Ragle have included Raglan, Ragland and others.

Early Notables of the Ragle family

Prominent amongst the family during the late Middle Ages was Sir John Ragland of Carnllwyd, (died by 1550); and his son, Sir Thomas Ragland (fl.1563), of Carnllwyd, Glamorganshire, Wales and Roughton Holme, Norfolk and Walworth, Surrey, England, Justice of the Peace of Norfolk from 1550...
Another 45 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Ragle Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Ragle migration to the United States +

The Welsh began to emigrate to North America in the late 1800s and early 1900s in search of land, work, and freedom. Those that arrived helped shape the industry, commerce, and the cultural heritage of both Canada and the United States. The records regarding immigration and passenger show a number of people bearing the name Ragle:

Ragle Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • David Ragle, aged 42, who arrived in New York in 1914 aboard the ship "Adriatic" from Queenstown, Ireland [1]
  • John Ragle, aged 24, who arrived in New York in 1922 aboard the ship "Mauretania" from Southampton, England [1]
  • Manual Ragle, aged 23, who arrived in New York in 1923 aboard the ship "George Washington" from Bremen, Germany [1]

Contemporary Notables of the name Ragle (post 1700) +

  • John Ragle, American first postmaster of Raglesville, Indiana
  • Dr. B. Harrison Ragle, Admiral Byrd's personal physician and sponsor of the USAS (1939-1941), eponym of the Ragle Glacier, Antarctica
  • W. F. Ragle, American football coach of Kansas Wesleyan in 1915
  • Sarah Ragle Weddington (1945-2021), American attorney, law professor, and member of the Texas House of Representatives, best known for representing "Jane Roe" (real name Norma McCorvey) in the landmark Roe v. Wade case before the United States Supreme Court


The Ragle 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: Mutare vel timere sperno
Motto Translation: I scorn to change or fear.


  1. Ellis Island Search retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result


Houseofnames.com on Facebook