Raffles

Raffles
This unusual name has two possible origins, each with its own distinctive history and derivation. Firstly, as an English surname, Raffels is one of the patronymic forms of the name Raffel (the "-s" suffix representing a reduced form of "son of"), which was developed from the Hebrew male given name "Refael", composed of the elements "rafa", to heal, and "el", God. This was the name borne by one of the archangels, and was comparatively popular as a given name among Christians in the Middle Ages, partly due to the part played by the angel in the Apochryphal tale of Tobias. The English surname from this source can be found as Raffel, Raffle and Raffield, while the patronymic forms are Raffels and Raffles. As a Scottish surname, Raffels is a locational name from the place called Raffles in the parish of Mouswald, Dumfriesshire, believed to be so called from the Gaelic "rath", fort, with the Olde English "hol", hollow; hence "the fort in the hollow". The first recording of the surname, below, is from this source. In Northumberland, the marriage of Benjamine Raffels and Marie Mortine was recorded in Berwick-upon-Tweed, on May 1st 1655, and one William Raffell appears in Kirkcudbright in 1684. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of John de Refholes, which was dated 1215, document witness, in the "Calendar of Documents relating to Scotland in the Public Record Office", during the reign of King Alexander 11 of Scotland, 1214 - 1249. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

Surnames reference. 2013.

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  • Raffles — ist der Familienname folgender Personen: Thomas Stamford Raffles (1781–1826), Forscher und Gründer der Stadt Singapur A. J. Raffles, der Amateureinbrecher, Held einer Reihe von Büchern des englischen Schriftstellers Ernest William Hornung Raffles …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • RAFFLES (T. S.) — RAFFLES sir THOMAS STAMFORD (1781 1826) Fondateur véritable de la puissance britannique en Malaisie, Raffles est issu d’une famille pauvre. Né à la Jamaïque à bord d’un navire de commerce commandé par son père, il a commencé à travailler à… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Raffles — a jewel thief who was also a gentleman in the book The Amateur Cracksman (1899). Raffles also played cricket for England …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • Raffles — Raffles, Sir Thomas Stamford, geb. 1781, wurde 1805 von der Englisch Ostindischen Compagnie als Secretär des Gouverneurs von Pulo Pinang angestellt, nach der Eroberung von Batavia zum Gouverneur von Java ernannt, u. als diese Insel an Holland… …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Raffles — (spr. räffls), Sir Thomas Stamford, brit. Kolonialbeamter und Naturforscher, geb. 5. Juli 1781, gest. 5. Juli 1826, war der Sohn eines in Jamaika heimischen Schiffskapitäns, trat in den ostindischen Verwaltungsdienst, nahm 1811 als Sekretär des… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Raffles — (spr. räffls), Sir Thomas Stamford, brit. ind. Staatsmann, geb. 5. Juli 1781, trat in den Dienst der Ostind. Kompanie, 1811 16 Lieutenantgouverneur von Java, dann von Benkulen, gründete 1819 die Stadt Singapur, gest. 8. Juli 1826 in England;… …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • Raffles — (Räffls), Sir Thom. Stamford, geb. 1781, Beamter der ostind. Compagnie, 1811 Gouverneur des eroberten Batavia, nach dessen Zurückgabe von Bencoolen, gründete die Niederlassung Singapore, kehrte 1825 nach England zurück, wo er 1827 st. Schrieb:… …   Herders Conversations-Lexikon

  • Raffles — Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. Patronyme Thomas Stamford Raffles (1781 1826), militaire et naturaliste britannique. Art et culture A.J. Raffles, gentleman cambrioleur, personnage créé… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Raffles — noun British colonial administrator who founded Singapore (1781 1826) • Syn: ↑Sir Thomas Raffles, ↑Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles • Instance Hypernyms: ↑administrator, ↑executive …   Useful english dictionary

  • raffles — /raf euhlz/, n. (often cap.) a gentlemanly burglar, amateur housebreaker, or the like. [1925 30; after Raffles, hero of The Amateur Cracksman, by E. W. Hornung (1866 1921), English novelist] * * * …   Universalium

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