Raylton History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

Etymology of Raylton

What does the name Raylton mean?

The Anglo-Saxon name Raylton comes from when the family resided in the ancient market town of Fakenham which was located beside the river of Wensum. Before 1086 the lands of Fakenham were controlled by Pacham which included three mills, a salt house and lush green pasture for two hundred sheep. Raylton is a topographic surname, which was given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree. Habitation names form the other broad category of surnames that were derived from place-names. They were derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Raylton family

The surname Raylton was first found in Norfolk where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say before the Norman Conquest in 1066. Conjecturally they are descended from the Lords of the manor of Fakenham. At the time of the taking of the Domesday Book in 1086, Fakenham was held by Pacham who held the King's land which consisted of three mills, half a salt house, a flour mill, and two hundred sheep. This pretty little market town is on the River Wensum.

Further to the north in Scotland, there were listings of the family in the 16th century. By example, John Railtoun, was Burgess of Edinburgh in 1544 and Allan Raltoune was Burgess Freeman of Glasgow, 1607. 1

Early History of the Raylton family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Raylton research. Another 121 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1684 and 1767 are included under the topic Early Raylton History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Raylton 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 Raylton include Railtone, Railton, Reltone, Relton, Rayltone and many more.

Early Notables of the Raylton family

More information is included under the topic Early Raylton Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Raylton family

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: Richard Rayltone who landed in North America in 1724; as well as Bilton Railton, David Railton, and George Railton, who were all recorded in the census of Ontario, Canada in 1871..

Sources +

Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)