Rainard History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Rainard is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from the baptismal name Rainer, which was taken from the Old Germanic name Raginhari which means counsel and army. Baptismal names began to appear as surnames relatively late in the growth of the naming tradition. This is a little surprising, given the popularity of biblical figures in the Christian countries of Europe. Nevertheless, surnames derived from baptismal names grew in popularity during the Middle Ages, and have become one of the foremost sources for surnames.

Early Origins of the Rainard family

The surname Rainard was first found in Devon where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the census rolls taken by the ancient Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects. There is also an entry in the Domesday Book 1086)) listing a Rogerus filius Rainardi, Rainart in Norfolk.

Early History of the Rainard family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rainard research. Another 79 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1589, 1649 and 1661 are included under the topic Early Rainard History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rainard Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Rainard include Reynard, Reynardson, Renhard, Renyard, Reinard and many more.

Early Notables of the Rainard family

Another 31 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Rainard Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rainard migration to the United States +

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:

Rainard Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Michael Rainard, aged 23, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1733 1

Citations +

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)