Rainforth History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Rainforth is part of the ancient legacy of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is a product of when the family lived in the chapelry of Rainford in the parish of Prescot in Lancashire. The surname Rainforth is a habitation name which forms a broad category of surnames that were derived from place-names. They were derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. In this case the surname Rainforth was originally derived from the Old English Regnaforde which refers to those individuals who lived by the ford. However, there is also evidence that the name in fact referred to Danish settlers, who came from Randers Fiord, Denmark.

Early Origins of the Rainforth family

The surname Rainforth was first found in Lancashire where they were found since ancient times, perhaps even predating the Norman Conquest of England by Duke William of Normandy in 1066 A.D. Early records, and the church cemetery show bearers of the name in Little Crosby, Lancashire.

Early History of the Rainforth family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rainforth research. Another 202 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1150, 1469, 1482, 1529, 1537, 1538, 1559, 1605, 1632, 1652, 1660, 1663, 1680, 1690, 1700, 1701, 1709 and 1933 are included under the topic Early Rainforth History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rainforth Spelling Variations

The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Rainforth has been spelled many different ways, including Rainford, Rainsford, Raynsford, Raynsforde, Reinsford, Reinsforde, Raynesford, Rainesford, Rainesforde, Ranford, Ranforde, Randsford, Randford, Randeford and many more.

Early Notables of the Rainforth family

Distinguished members of the family include Sir John Raynsford of Bradfield Hall, Essex; and his son, Sir John Raynsford (by 1482-1559) was an English politician, High Sheriff of Essex and Hertfordshire (1537-1538), Member of Parliament for Colchester in 1529; John Raynsford, an English politician, Member of Parliament (MP) for Colchester during the 16th century; and Sir Richard Rainsford SL (1605-1680), an English...
Another 61 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Rainforth Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Rainforth family to Ireland

Some of the Rainforth family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 51 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rainforth migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Rainforths to arrive in North America:

Rainforth Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Miles Rainforth, who landed in St Clair County, Illinois in 1863 1

Contemporary Notables of the name Rainforth (post 1700) +

Jeff Rainforth (b. 1968), American politician, Representative from California 6th District, 2002; Independent Candidate for Governor of California, 2003 2
Elizabeth Rainforth (1814-1877), English vocalist, a principal singer at the Norwich Festival in 1836 and 1842

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)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 10) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html