'Rakkes' Armstrongs

[castlebob]

Robson's 'Ride With The Moonlight' page 15 states that the Armstrong clan had the attachment of 'Rakkes' ('Rackas', Rackhouse' etc)  and that it meant that the individual belonged to a branch of the Armstrongs by that 'to-name', or nickname. He then states that there had been 'Rakkes' Armstrongs in Liddesdale for a long time.
What is the origin of 'Rakkes'?
Cheers,
Bob

[still_looking]

Can't help you with the origin but the Hawick Word Book mentions Archie 'Raccas' Armstrong
page 50 in the left hand column
https://www.astro.ubc.ca/people/scott/book.pdf
same page in the right hand column there's reference to an Adam Armstrong 'Rattas in Blackhoip' being connected to those nicknamed 'Rackass and variants'

The 'Rattas in Blackhoip' reference is mentioned in item 5 here:
https://catalogue.nrscotland.gov.uk/nrsonlinecatalogue/details.aspx?reference=GD224%2f906%2f9&st=1&tc=y&tl=n&tn=n&tp=n&k=armstrong+liddesdale&ko=a&r=&ro=s&df=&dt=&di=y

The Dictionaries of the Scots Language have numerous variations of Rack, Rek, Rak (and more) but I couldn't see anything that leapt out as an obvious nickname.

Hope that all helps.

S_L

[castlebob]

Yes, thanks for that. I've seen those, plus similar. I've seen one ref that was written as 'Rackhouse', so perhaps it's simply the fact that he was the first from that place & got that tag. Perhaps it was then used to describe others of his family. I can trace some back to the same source, but not all.

'Rack' seems to be associated with cooking & spits etc, so perhaps a connection there?

[castlebob]

I think 'Rack-house' may have been a building to house the military.