Raft

Raft
Recorded in the spellings of Raft, Roft, Rafter, Raftiss and Wrafter, this may be an English or possibly Irish surname. If English it is derived from the pre 7th century Norse Viking word 'raftr' meaning a roof made of sloping beams, and hence was occupational for a roofer or possibly residential for a person who lived in what would have been a lavish dwelling by the standards of the medieval period. In Ireland it is sometimes claimed that it originates as a derivation of the popular clan name O' Raferty, and that in the registers of County Mayo, upto the 20th century the recordings are interchangeable. As few people before late Victorian times could do much more than write their name, it probably did not greatly effect the small communities of those times how the name was spelt. However our research clearly indicates that the name was never recorded as O' Rafter, which does suggest that the origin was not Irish Gaelic at all, but an English settler name. However there are no satisfactory link recordings proving the matter either way. Surprisingly the various popular dictionaries of surnames seem to omit the name altogether. Early examples of recordings include Thomas Raghtor, a burgess of the city of Kilkenny, Ireland, in 1518, and in England Valentyn Roft at St Dunstans in the East, Stepney, in 1619, and William Raft at St Andrews Holborn, in the city of London, in the year 1706. Amongst the interesting recordings is that of Ignatius Rafter. He is recorded as being a "Catholic gentleman of Kilkenny City," had the extraordinary honour for those days, of being licenced to carry "a sword, a gun (?), and a case of pistols". He was literally a walking armoury, although as to why he needed all this protection, is unclear.

Surnames reference. 2013.

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  • raft — raft1 [raft, räft] n. [ME rafte, beam, rafter < ON raptr, log: see RAFTER1] 1. a flat, buoyant structure of logs, boards, barrels, etc. fastened together; specif., one used like a boat as in an emergency or in shallow water 2. a similar… …   English World dictionary

  • Raft — Raft, n. [Originally, a rafter, spar, and fr. Icel. raptr a rafter; akin to Dan. raft, Prov. G. raff a rafter, spar; cf. OHG. r[=a]fo, r[=a]vo, a beam, rafter, Icel. r[=a]f roof. Cf. {Rafter}, n.] 1. A collection of logs, boards, pieces of timber …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • raft — [ raft ] n. m. • 1985; mot angl. ♦ Embarcation gonflable insubmersible manœuvrée à la pagaie et utilisée pour la descente des rapides (⇒ rafting). ● raft nom masculin (mot anglais) Radeau pneumatique pour la pratique du rafting. raft n. m.… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • raft — [rɑːft ǁ ræft] noun a raft of something a large number of things: • There has been a raft of new laws aimed at giving better protection to children in the past few years. * * * raft UK US /rɑːft/ US  /ræft/ noun [C] ● a raft of sth Cf. a raft of… …   Financial and business terms

  • Raft — Raft, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Rafted}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Rafting}.] To transport on a raft, or in the form of a raft; to make into a raft; as, to raft timber. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Raft — 〈n. 15〉 schwimmende Insel [engl., „Floß“] * * * Raft, das; s, s [engl. raft, eigtl. = Floß, zu: rafter = (Dach)sparren, aus dem Anord.]: 1. schwimmende Insel aus [Treib]holz. 2. Schlauchboot, mit dem Rafting betrieben wird. * * * Raft, das; s, s… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • raft — Ⅰ. raft [1] ► NOUN 1) a flat buoyant structure of timber or other materials fastened together, used as a boat or floating platform. 2) a small inflatable boat. 3) a floating mass of fallen trees, ice, etc. ► VERB ▪ travel or transport on or as if …   English terms dictionary

  • Raft — bezeichnet: ein Rafting, mit dem ein Fluss, gewöhnlich schwereres Wildwasser, befahren wird. in der Zellbiologie Lipid Rafts, Cholesterin reiche Lipid „Inseln“ in Plasmamembran Leaflets. Raft ist der Familienname folgender Personen: George Raft… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • raft — [ra:ft US ræft] n [Sense: 1, 3 4; Date: 1200 1300; : Old Norse; Origin: raptr large piece of wood, rafter ] [Sense: 2; Date: 1800 1900; Origin: raff mixture of things (17 19 centuries), influenced by RAFT1] 1.) a flat floating structure, usually… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • raft — [ ræft ] noun count 1. ) a simple flat boat made by tying long pieces of wood together a ) a small light boat made of rubber or plastic 2. ) a flat structure that floats on a lake, river, etc. that people can swim to and lie on a raft of INFORMAL …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • Raft — (r[.a]ft), obs. imp. & p. p. of {Reave}. Spenser. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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