Rawsthorne History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Rawsthorne is one of the thousands of new names that the Norman Conquest brought to England in 1066. The Rawsthorne family lived in Yorkshire, at Rostherne. Rawsthorn is derived from Old Norman names that mean red, and torn. Accordingly, the name means dweller by the thorns.

Early Origins of the Rawsthorne family

The surname Rawsthorne was first found in Yorkshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the manor of Fryston, and were conjecturally descended from Gerbodo, a Norman noble, who held those lands at the time of the taking of the Domesday Book in 1086, a census initiated by Duke William of Normandy after his conquest of England in 1066. This family emerged with several basic spellings, Rawson, which became popular in Yorkshire in all their various branches, Rawsthorne and Rawstorne and Rostron and Rawstorn all became more popular in Lancashire.

Early History of the Rawsthorne family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rawsthorne research. Another 94 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1683 and 1965 are included under the topic Early Rawsthorne History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rawsthorne Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, Anglo-Norman surnames like Rawsthorne are characterized by many spelling variations. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages such as Norman French and Latin, even literate people regularly changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Rawsthorne include Rawstorne, Rawsthorne, Rawstorn, Rawstron, Rawstrone, Rawsthorn, Rostron and many more.

Early Notables of the Rawsthorne family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Rawsthorne of Yorkshire

Rawsthorne migration to the United States +

Faced with the chaos present in England at that time, many English families looked towards the open frontiers of the New World with its opportunities to escape oppression and starvation. People migrated to North America, as well as Australia and Ireland in droves, paying exorbitant rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, but those who did see the shores of North America were welcomed with great opportunity. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America carried the name Rawsthorne, or a variant listed above:

Rawsthorne Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Robert Rawsthorne, who arrived in New York in 1884
Joseph Rawsthorne, aged 28, originally from Ireland, arrived in New York, U.S.A. in 1897 aboard the ship "California" from Londonderry, Ireland 1

Rawsthorne Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Herbert R. Rawsthorne, aged 20, originally from Stafford, arrived in New York in 1905 aboard the ship "Oceanic" from Liverpool, England 1
Maggie Rawsthorne, aged 25, originally from Liverpool, arrived in New York in 1906 aboard the ship "Oceanic" from Liverpool, England 1
Thomas Leonard Rawsthorne, aged 22, originally from Shanghai, China, arrived in New York in 1920 aboard the ship "Celtic" from Liverpool, England 1
Edward Rawsthorne, aged 30, arrived in New York in 1920 aboard the ship "Baltic" from Liverpool, England 1
Mary Ann Rawsthorne, aged 61, originally from Widnes, England, arrived in New York in 1920 aboard the ship "Celtic" from Liverpool, England 1
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Rawsthorne migration to Australia +

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

Rawsthorne Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Henry Rawsthorne who was convicted in Liverpool, Merseyside, England for 10 years, transported aboard the "Duchess of Northumberland" on 1st October 1842, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Rawsthorne (post 1700) +

Noel Rawsthorne (1929-2019), English organist and composer
John Anthony Rawsthorne (b. 1936), retired English Roman Catholic prelate, Bishop of Hallam from 1997 to 2014
Alan Rawsthorne (1905-1971), English composer, perhaps best known for his orchestral works
Isabel Rawsthorne (1912-1992), née Nicholas, British painter, designer and occasional artists' model, wife of Alan Rawsthorne

Citations +

Ellis Island Search retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 20th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/duchess-of-northumberland