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Rainbow History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Rainbow History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
France

Early Origins of the Rainbow family

The surname Rainbow was first found in Gloucestershire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. After the Battle of Hastings in 1066, William, Duke of Normandy, having prevailed over King Harold, granted most of Britain to his many victorious Barons. It was not uncommon to find a Baron, or a Bishop, with 60 or more Lordships scattered throughout the country. These he gave to his sons, nephews and other junior lines of his family and they became known as under-tenants. They adopted the Norman system of surnames which identified the under-tenant with his holdings so as to distinguish him from the senior stem of the family. After many rebellious wars between his Barons, Duke William, commissioned a census of all England to determine in 1086, settling once and for all, who held which land. He called the census the Domesday Book, 1 indicating that those holders registered would hold the land until the end of time. Hence, conjecturally, the surname is descended from the tenant of the lands of Rainbertus Flandrensis who was recorded in the Domesday Book census of 1086. The name was later recorded in Middlesex.

Early History of the Rainbow family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rainbow research. Another 75 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1587, 1608, 1610, 1639, 1642, 1648, 1673 and 1684 are included under the topic Early Rainbow History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rainbow Spelling Variations

Before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Rainbow family name include Rainbird, Raynbird, Rambart, Rambert, Ramart, Rainbold, Rainbow, Rainbold, Renbold, Rainbaud, Rinbalt, Reinbald, Rainbald, Renbald and many more.

Early Notables of the Rainbow family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

William Rainsborowe (fl. 1639-1673), or Rainsborough, Rainborough, Rainborowe or Rainbow, a Leveller and an officer in the English Navy and New Model Army in England during the English Civil War and t...
Edward Rainbowe or Rainbow (1608-1684), an English clergyman and a noted preacher from Blyton in Lindsey, Lincolnshire
Thomas Rainsborough (1610-1648), or Rainborough or Raineborough or Rainborowe or Rainbow or Rainborow, a prominent figure in the English Civil War, and was the leading spokesman of the Levellers in th...

Rainbow migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Rainbow family to immigrate North America:

Rainbow Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

William Rainbow, who arrived in Maryland or Virginia in 1671
Edward Rainbow, who arrived in Maryland in 1671 2

Rainbow Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Charles Rainbow, who settled in America in 1767

Rainbow migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Rainbow Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

John Rainbow, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750

Rainbow migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Rainbow Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

John Rainbow, aged 36, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1851 aboard the ship "Oregon" 3

Rainbow migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Rainbow Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Miss Lucy Rainbow, (b. 1837), aged 21, British domestic servant travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Maori" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 14th April 1858 4
Mr. Joseph Rainbow, (b. 1851), aged 18, British farm labourer travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Hydaspes" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 30th September 1869 4
Mr. James Rainbow, (b. 1833), aged 37, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Zealandia" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 23rd December 1870 5
Mrs. Caroline Rainbow, (b. 1834), aged 36, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Zealandia" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 23rd December 1870 5
Mr. Henry S. Rainbow, (b. 1855), aged 15, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Zealandia" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 23rd December 1870 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Rainbow (post 1700) +

Chris Rainbow (1946-2015), born Christopher James Harley, a Scottish rock singer and musician
Robert Rainbow (b. 1952), British professional footballer
Bernarr Joseph George Rainbow (1914-1998), British historian of music education, organist, and choir master
William Joseph Rainbow (1856-1919), British entomologist and arachnologist
Rainbow Sun Francks (b. 1979), Canadian actor and singer, known for his role as Lt. Aiden Ford in the television show Stargate Atlantis, son of Don Francks

Citations +

Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
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)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The barque OREGON, 521 tons - 1851 voyage to South Australia. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1851Oregon.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html