Follow
Origins of the Rayner Surname
Source: Patrick Hanks, Richard Coates, Peter McClure (2016) The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland. Oxford University Press.
Variants: Raynor, Rainer, Ranner, Renner, Reyner, Reiner, Reiners
- Current frequencies: GB 10102, Ireland 38
- GB frequency 1881: 7405
- Main GB location 1881: WR Yorks, Lancs; also E Anglia, Surrey, Kent
- Main Irish location 1847-64: Dublin
Norman, English: relationship name from the Old French given name Rainer, Reiner, Renier (Continental Germanic Raginhari, from ragin ‘counsel’ + hari, heri ‘army’). The surname was later much confused with Reynold and Reynard.
Early bearers: given names: Rainerus, 1086 in Domesday Book; Reynerus cancellarius, 1101-25 in Saint Benet of Holme Register (Norfolk); Reyner de Stanford, 1216 in Northants Record Office (Helpston, Northants); Renerus, about 1250 in Ramsey Cartulary (Norfolk).
surnames: Ricardus filius Rainer, 1148 in Winton Domesday (Hants); Alexander Reygner, 1229 in Close Rolls; William Rayner, 1216-72 in Gilbertine Charters (Lincs); William Reyner, 1286 in Assize Rolls (Staffs); Elis Raynor, 1377 in Poll Tax (West Farleigh, Kent); Robertus Rayner’, 1381 in Poll Tax (Cottingham, ER Yorks); Richard Rayner, 1441 in Feet of Fines (Kent); William Rayner, 1474 in Feet of Fines (Gildersome (in Batley), WR Yorks); Marmaduke Reynor, 1558 in TNA; Simon Reyner of Darlton [Notts], 1566 in Derbys Record Office (Glapwell, Derbys); Reinold Reiner, 1582 in IGI (Davington, Kent); Maria Renner, 1627 in IGI (Ely, Cambs); Robert Ranare, 1651 in Parish Registers (Rothwell, WR Yorks); Thomas Reynors, 1738.
Are you interested in exploring your Rayner lineage using Y-DNA? If so then please consider joining the Rainer (and surname variants) Project at: https://www.familytreedna.com/groups/rainer. Note that you need to be a male Rayner to take a FamilyTreeDNA Y-DNA test. If you are not a male Rayner this does not prevent you from participating in the project but you will need to recruit a male Rayner, e.g. brother, father, uncle or cousin, to take a Y-DNA test for you.
Best Regards,
Gavin Rayner
Group Administrator: https://www.familytreedna.com/groups/rainer