| ![Show Contents]() Raveling History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Etymology of RavelingWhat does the name Raveling mean? Raveling is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Raveling family lived in Warwickshire. Their name, however, is a reference to Reville, near Bernai, Normandy, the family's place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. 1 The name is derived from the Old French word "revel" which means "pride, rebellion, sport", from the word "reveler" which means "to rebel." Interestingly, there is a font-name named "Revel" which was common in Old French and Middle English records which may actually be from the Latin word "rebellus." Early Origins of the Raveling familyThe surname Raveling was first found in Hertford and Northamptonshire where Robert Revel held two estates as early as 1130. A few years later Richard Revel was listed as holding two fees in barony in Somerset in 1165. Henry Revel was one of the nobles taken at Alnwick Castle, Northumberland in 1174. 2 Sir Richard Revell or Rivell (died 1222) was an English knight and landowner, said to have been the son of William Revell, probably a landowner in Devonshire and lord of Revelstoke in that county. He received from Henry II grants of 'Curi' or Curry Rivell, and Langport, both in Somerset, and is said to have built a castle at Langport. He appears to have had a son named Richard, who probably predeceased his father. 3 Early History of the Raveling familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Raveling research. Another 75 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1305 and 1544 are included under the topic Early Raveling History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Raveling Spelling VariationsEndless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Revel, Revell, Revill, Reville and others. Early Notables of the Raveling familyMore information is included under the topic Early Raveling Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Raveling family to IrelandSome of the Raveling family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 102 words (7 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Raveling migration to the United States | + |
To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Raveling or a variant listed above:
Raveling Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Henry Raveling, who landed in Iowa in 1885 4
- Peter Raveling, who arrived in Iowa in 1885 4
- John Raveling, who landed in Iowa in 1886 4
- T jebbe Raveling, who landed in Iowa in 1887 4
- Jacob Raveling, who arrived in Iowa in 1887 4
| Contemporary Notables of the name Raveling (post 1700) | + |
- George Henry Raveling (1937-2025), American college basketball player and coach who played for the Villanova Wildcats, and was the men's head coach for the Washington State Cougars (1972?-?1983), Iowa Hawkeyes (1983?-?1986), and USC Trojans (1986?-?1994), inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
- Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 3 of 3
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
- Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
- 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)
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