Raynard History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Raynard

What does the name Raynard mean?

The name Raynard originated with the Anglo-Saxon tribes that once ruled Britain. It is derived from the baptismal name Rainer, which was taken from the Old Germanic name Raginhari which means counsel and army. Baptismal names began to appear as surnames relatively late in the growth of the naming tradition. This is a little surprising, given the popularity of biblical figures in the Christian countries of Europe. Nevertheless, surnames derived from baptismal names grew in popularity during the Middle Ages, and have become one of the foremost sources for surnames.

Early Origins of the Raynard family

The surname Raynard was first found in Devon where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the census rolls taken by the ancient Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects. There is also an entry in the Domesday Book 1086)) listing a Rogerus filius Rainardi, Rainart in Norfolk.

Early History of the Raynard family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Raynard research. Another 79 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1589, 1649 and 1661 are included under the topic Early Raynard History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Raynard Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Raynard has appeared include Reynard, Reynardson, Renhard, Renyard, Reinard and many more.

Early Notables of the Raynard family

Another 31 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Raynard Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Raynard migration to the United States +

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Raynard arrived in North America very early:

Raynard Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Elizabeth Raynard, aged 20, who landed in Virginia in 1635 aboard the ship "Assurance" 1
Robert Raynard, who arrived in Virginia in 1643 1

Contemporary Notables of the name Raynard (post 1700) +

Olanda Raynard Truitt (b. 1971), American former NFL football wide receiver
Raynard S. Kington, American deputy director of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, 13th President of Grinnell College (2010-)

Sources +

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)