Surname “Rayski”
Etymology of the Name
I
n
1272
AD,
the
German
knight
Hermann
Surnagel
was
granted
nobility
by
the
Prince
of
Oppeln.
This
noble
title
came
with
land
in
the
Carpathian
Highlands,
including
the
village
of
Ray
(also
known
as
Raysko).
From
that
time
onward,
Hermann
Surnagel
became
known
as
Hermann
Rayski
or
Hermann
von
Rayski.
This
event
was
meticulously
recorded
in the Latin chronicles of the Auschwitz Parish in the province of Lower Silesia.
The
village
and
its
surrounding
lands
remained
under
the
stewardship
of
the
Rayski
family
until
the
mid-15th
century.
Even
today,
a
significant
number
of
individuals
bearing
the
surname
Rayski
(or
Rajski)
reside
in
the
Carpathian
Highlands,
particularly
around
Neu
Markt
(modern-day
Nowy
Targ).
The
Rayski
clan
continues
to
be
held
in
high
esteem
by
the
local
population
due
to
their
substantial
contributions
to
the
region's
economy
and
political
landscape
over many centuries.
As
the
Rayski
clan
expanded
in
both
numbers
and
wealth,
its
members
spread
to
surrounding
areas,
including
Saxony,
Silesia,
Bohemia,
Galicia,
and
other
German
provinces.
Over
time,
the
family
intermarried
with
Czech
nobility,
further
enhancing
their
influence.
The
name
Rayski
appears
in
numerous
historical
records,
such
as
the
business
documents
of
the
Prince
of
Galicia,
signed
by
his
counselor
Rayski,
the
business
records
of
Baron
Emil
Rayski,
and
the
records
of
Johann
Stephan
Rayski
von
Dubenitz.
Comprehensive
information
about
the
Rayski
family
becomes
more
prevalent
after
1700.
Over
the
next
two
centuries,
the
Rayskis
accumulated
greater
wealth
and
achieved
significant social prominence, culminating in a marriage with a member of the Hohenzollern Dynasty.
Rayski – Meaning of the Word
The
word
"ray"
originates
from
the
Proto-Slavic
language
and
means
paradise
or
heaven.
"Rayski,"
derived
from
"ray,"
translates
to
heavenly,
while
its
further
derivative,
"raysko,"
means
heavenly
place.
Historically,
there
was
a
cultural
and
social
custom
that
allowed
nobles
to
adopt
the
name
of
a
town
as
their
surname
by
adding
“-ski”
to
the
end
of
the
word.
This
suffix
indicated
that
the
person
was
“from”
that
place,
signifying
nobility,
akin
to
“von”
in
Germany,
“van”
in
Holland,
and
“de”
in
France.
For
instance,
the
German
knight
Hermann
Surnagel,
by
decree
of
the
Prince
of
Oppeln,
was
granted
noble
status
and
thus
could
call
himself
Rayski.
This
practice
underscored
the
individual's
noble
heritage
and connection to a specific location.
When
the
name
spread
to
Saxony,
which
had
different
laws
and
languages,
the
prefix
“von”
was
added
to
signify
the
nobility
of
the
bearer.
Linguistically,
this
combination
of
words
likely
unintentionally
implied
double
nobility.
The
term
“Rayski”
is
unique
to
Slavic
languages,
making
it
improbable
that
the
name
originated
from
German.
Thus,
it
is
highly
probable that “von Rayski” derived from “Rayski.”
The
original
name
was
recorded
in
Latin,
the
sole
written
language
in
this
region
of
Europe
at
that
time.
In
some
modern
spellings,
“y”
has
been
replaced
with
“j,”
a
letter
that
was
not
present
in
classical
Latin
but
was
introduced
approximately
four
hundred
years
ago.
Interestingly,
the
letter
“y”
was
added
to
Latin
as
early
as
the
second
century,
while the use of “y” in German appears primarily in loanwords or proper names.
Over
the
past
800
years,
the
name
Rayski
has
spread
across
Europe
and
America.
According
to
genealogical
sources,
approximately
225
people
currently
bear
this
name.
Due
to
the
complexity
of
the
lineage
and
the
limited
written
records,
establishing
a
direct
connection
to
Hermann
Rayski
(also
known
as
Hermann
Surnagel)
is
exceedingly
challenging,
if
not
impossible.
Consequently,
we
have
chosen
to
highlight
a
few
notable
individuals
of
interest:
Hermann
Rayski,
Augusta
von
Harrah,
Luis
Ferdinand
von
Rayski,
and
Ludomil
Anthony
Rayski.
Further
details
are
provided below:
•
Selective Compilation of the Name Rayski from XVIII and XIX Centuries
1.
Rayski (first name unknown)
Born in Austrian Empire in 17__
Counselor to Prince Radzivil
2.
Emil Rayski, Baron
Born in Austrian Empire, in 17__
3.
Johann Stephan Rayski von Dubenitz
Born in Austrian Empire in 17__
4.
Johann Heinrich Adolf Rayski von Dubenitz
Born in Schwerta in 1726, died in Struppen in 1778
Married in 1761 to
Christaine Sophie von Leyser
Born in Dresden in 1735, died in Dresden in 1806
Descendants:
Child no. 1 - Johann Carl – see below (5)
Child no. 2 – Johanne Christaine Sophia – see below (7)
5.
Johann Carl von Rayski
Born in 1763, died in 1813
Married to
Sophie Eleonore Henriette Sichart von Sichartshoff
Born in 1776, died in 1859
Descendants:
Child no. 1 - Louis Ferdinand - see below (6)
6
.
Louis Ferdinand von Rayski
Born
in
Pegau
in
1806
and
passing
away
in
Dresden
in
1890,
Louis
Ferdinand
von
Rayski
was
a
notable
German
painter.
He
studied
at
the
Freimaurerinstitut
and
the
Dresden
Academy
of
Fine
Arts,
drawing
significant
influence
from
the
works
of
Delacroix
and
Géricault.
Rayski
began
his
career
as
a
professional
painter
by
creating
portraits
of
his
noble
relatives
in
Saxony
and
Silesia.
His
diverse
body
of
work
includes
portraits,
hunting
scenes,
and,
less
frequently,
historical
pictures.
Recognized
as
the
first
German
realist,
his
legacy
endures
with
over
twenty
of
his
paintings
permanently
displayed
in
the
Staatliche
Kunstsammlungen
Dresden and featured periodically in museums worldwide.
7.
Johanna Christaine Sophia Rayski von Dubenitz
Born in 1767 in Strupen, died in 1830 in Dresden
Married in 1795 to
Count Ferdinand Joseph von Harrach zu Rohrau und Thannhausen
Born in 1763, died in 1841
Descendants:
Child no. 1 - Carl
Born in Prague in 1795, died in Breslau in 1878
Child no. 2 - Auguste – see below (8)
8
.
Countess Auguste von Harrach, Princess von Liegnitz, Countess von Hohenzollern
Born
in
Dresden
in
1800,
Auguste
von
Harrach
died
in
Bad
Homburg
in
1873
and
is
resting
in
the
Mausoleum
in
Schlosspark
Charlottenburg,
Berlin.
She
married
Friedrich
Wilhelm
III
von
Hohenzollern,
King
of
Prussia,
in
Charlottenburg in 1824. He was born in 1770 and died in 1840.
Auguste
von
Harrach
was
of
maternal
Rayski
ancestry
and
converted
to
Protestantism
in
1826.
Legend
states
that
her
legendary
beauty
and
intelligence
won
the
heart
of
King
Friedrich
Wilhelm
III.
Auguste
met
King
Friedrich
von
Hohenzollern
in
Toeplitz,
a
fashionable
place
frequently
visited
by
upper-class
nobility.
Well-
educated,
smart,
and
very
kind,
she
gradually
earned
the
admiration
of
the
German
people.
Nearly
two
centuries later, the memories of her exemplary kindness are still cherished.
In
the
subsequent
period,
Europe,
particularly
the
Prussian
and
Austrian
Empires,
experienced
significant
upheaval
and
change,
culminating
in
the
First
World
War.
Borders
were
redrawn,
fortunes
lost,
and
ethnic
groups
displaced.
The
Prussian
Empire
eventually
became
Germany,
while
new
countries
emerged
from
the
dissolution
of
the
Austrian
Empire,
resulting
in
the
creation
of
Austria.
Lower
Silesia
became
part
of
Germany,
as well as the newly formed countries of Poland and Czechoslovakia.
These
dramatic
changes
undoubtedly
impacted
the
descendants
of
Hermann
von
Rayski.
Records
indicate
that
remnants
of
the
Rayski
family
continued
to
exist
in
Lower
Silesia.
Although
they
remained
prominent,
their
influence
was
more
dispersed
compared
to
previous
centuries.
On
a
smaller
scale,
members
of
the
Rayski
clan
retained
some
of
their
lands
and
financial
assets.
Despite
the
new
circumstances,
some
managed
to
ascend
within the political structures of the newly established countries.
•
Selective Compilation of the Name Rayski from the XX Century
1.
Arthur Theodor Rayski
Born in Austrian Empire in 1840, died in Cracow in 1920
Commander in the Ottoman Empire Foreign Legion
Coat of Arms: Korab
Descendants:
Child no.1 - Ludomil Anthony – see below (2)
2.
Ludomil Anthony Rayski
Born in Austrian Empire in 1892, died in United Kingdom in 1977
Ludomil Anthony Rayski, was an engineer, an aviation ace and the high-ranking military officer who was
eventually promoted to the rank of Air Vice-Marshal in UK Royal Air Force (RAF).
Military Distinctions:
Ottoman Empire - Order of the Medjidie, Gallipoli Sta
United Kingdom - Distinguished Service Order, Air Force Cross, Africa Star, 1939-1945 Star, Italy Star
France - Legion of Honour
Poland - Order of Polonia Restituta, Virtuti Militari
Estonia - Cross of Eagle
He participated in the 1915 Turkish War, the 1920 Polish war against Soviet Union and the World War II in the
sky over Italy, Yugoslavia, Estonia, France, England and other European and Northern African Countries.
3.
Joseph Rayski
Born in Austrian Empire (1868 - 1936)
Entrepreneur, Politician, Mayor, Senator
4.
Andrew Rayski
Born in Austrian Empire (1859 - 1902)
Lawyer, District Judge
5.
Anthony Rayski
Born in Austrian Empire (1866 - 1935)
Priest, Rector of Church in Lanckorona
Introduction
