The Randolphs are descended from families in virtually every continental European country, as well as parts of the Middle East....In Scotland, the Randolph family can be traced, with a high degree of confidence, back to Sir Thomas Randolph, Lord Chamberlain of Scotland in about 1250, but the family was probably founded in about 1190 in Littelsdaleshire, Scotland.
In England, the family can be traced back to Robert Randolph in South Sussex who died in 1602. Earlier English Randolph primary sources, back to the beginning of the second millennium AD, shortly after the Norman conquest of England in 1066, can be found in the British archives. However, it is difficult to construct a reliable unbroken English Randolph family genealogical line up to Robert Randolph. Never the less, there is considerable circumstantial evidence in primary and secondary sources for descent from John Randall of Hamsey, whose will was dated 1552.
A year after the outbreak of the English Civil Ward in 1643 Henry Randolph went to the Virginia colony, where he was prominent in colonial politics. After the Civil War ended, Henry's nephew, William Randolph, came the Virginia colony. He settled in Turkey Island and was extremely influential in politics. He was a member of the House of Burgesses and king's council. William Randolph founded the Virginia Ranolph dynasty. He married his children into most of the important colonial families, and his descendants were powerful in colonial and later in state and national politics for two hundred years. [1]
Patronymic Surname
The Randolph name is derived from the personal name, Randolph which contained elements that translated to shield and wolf. This was introduced into England by Scandinavian settlers in the Old Norse form Rannúlfr, and was reinforced after the Norman Conquest by the Norman form Randolf.
The Randolph Surname is patronymic surname, which arose out of the vernacular and religious given name traditions. The vernacular or regional naming tradition is the oldest and most pervasive type of patronymic surname. According to this custom, names were originally composed of vocabulary elements from the local language. [2]
Books About the Randolph Surname
- McCreight, Willam Randolph. The Randolph Family of England, Scotland and Virginia, History and Genealogy. 2015. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.
- Randolph, Wassell. "Henry Randolph I [1623-1773] of Henrico County, Virginia and His Descendants." 1952. Cossitt Library, Memphis, TN.
- Randolph, Wassell. Pedigree of the descendants of Henry Randolph I (1623-1673). 1957. Memphis Public Libarary, Memphis, TN.
- Randolph, Wassell. The Reverend George Robertson [1662-1739] rector of Bristol Parish, Virginia [1693-1739] and his descendants. 1955. Memphis Public Libarary, Memphis, TN.
- Randolph, Wassell. William Randolph I of Turkey Island Henrico County. 1949. Seebone Mimeo Service, Memphis, TN
Citations
- McCreight, Willam Randolph. The Randolph Family of England, Scotland and Virginia, History and Genealogy. 2015. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.
- House of Names. "Randolph History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms" House of Names. Retrieved December 25, 2020, (https://www.houseofnames.com/)
Links
Family of Dumfriesshire and Morayshire
- http://www.stirnet.com/genie/data/british/qr/rzmisc02.php#rand0 (membership required to view without interruption)
Family of Warwickshire and Virginia
from Private User (trayloroo@yahoo.com)
Richard Randolph .. born 1620 .... dead unknown ... certainly not dead in Ireland, possibly dead at sea. ... Probably died in Moreton Morrell, Warwickshire and is buried under church floor, so said A Howell to Traylor, 1989. Death is ... UNKNOWN.