Been to the library today for a name search

[Chelle71]

My family name is Rance originally started with the spelling Rannse then changed in 1605 and has been spelt Rance ever since , so why am i unable to find any reference to this name, even the librarian was miffed about it.



Chelle

[AMBLY]

Hi Chelle! 

In what way - when and where?  were you looking for reference to the name?

Cheers
AMBLY

[Chelle71]

My family was based in hertfordshire , started off in stevenage but as i said the spelling of my surname hasent been changed 1605 ive spent time looking in name books at the library but it didnt appear but yet i can search family tracing sites and only few of them have my name listed and on others it dosent even appear.

Chelle

[stanmapstone]

Hi Chelle,

RANCE is a patronymic (A name derived from that of a father or male ancestor, esp. by addition of an affix indicating such descent; a family name. Also: an affix used to form such a name OED) of RAND, along with RANDS, RANSON and RANSOME (chiefly in East Anglia).
RAND is from the MIDDLE ENGLISH given name RAND(e), A short form of any of the various Germanic compound personal names with the first element rand (shield) rim for example Randolph.
From "The Oxford Names Companion"
Stan

[Chelle71]

THANKYOU FOR THAT  STANMAPSTONE. I DID COME ACROSS THAT WHEN I GOOGLED THE NAME RANCE, BUT OTHER THAN BACK IN 1540 THE SURNAME HAS ALWAYS BEEN SPELT RANCE , JUST DONT UNDERSTAND WHY I CANT FIND IT ANYWHERE OTHER THAN THROUGH THESE OTHER SPELLINGS OF THIS NAME.

I THINK MORE NAME RESEARCH IS WHAT IS NEEDED , I JUST THOUGHT  SOMEONE ELSE COULD LOOK WITH FRESH EYES ...

THANKYOU SO MUCH I AM VERY GRATEFUL XX     

[celia]

i can search family tracing sites and only few of them have my name listed and on others it docent even appear.

Have you looked on the I.G.I on Family search There are thousands of them. Mostsly in the south of england in different counties.A few escaped to the Norh though :)Cheshire,Cumberland, .I only got up to 2000 so there might be some more elswhere. If you have the time to go through all the counties in England

Celia