Among the first instances of the surname in England were those of RAYNER in Blake in County Norfolk during the year 1273; REYNER, son of Reyner FLEMING, a Yorkshireman in the 13th year of Edward II's reign; and Thomas RAYNER, also of Yorkshire (1379). 
 
 

      The first of our RAYNOR line about whom there is recorded information was Robert RAYNERE, who was born ca 1525 at Wickham Market, Suffolk, England and died between 4 Oct 1571 and 5 Dec 1571, when his will was proved.  Robert RAYNERE's children were Edward, John, Dorothie and Rose.  Edward REYNER, Robert RAYNERE's son, b. 1560, married sometime after 4 Oct 1571, in  Bramford, Suffolk County, England, Margery Wiles, and they were the parents of nine children: Thurston, John, Samuel, Anna, Richard, Edward, Robert, Joseph, and Margery.  Edward REYNER undoubtedly died in 1621 for his will was dated 22 Mar 1620/21, and proved 7 July 1621 at Elmsett, County of Suffolk, England. 

      Thurston RAYNOR, Edward REYNER's son, was baptized 21 Sept 1593 in Elmsett, England.  By 13 Apr 1620, he had married Elizabeth _____, who was born in 1598.  Thurston and Elizabeth, and their children, Thurston, 13, Joseph, 11, Elizabeth, 9, Sarah, 7, and Lydia, 1, immigrated to America, departing from Ipswich, England in April 1634 aboard the ship, Elizabeth, and landing in Boston in July 1634.  Thurston RAYNOR was one of the early settlers of Southampton, L.I., NY, arriving there about 1646 by way of Watertown, Massachusetts, and Wethersfield and Stamford, Connecticut.  While in Wethersfield, Thurston was a delegate to the First Connecticut General Assembly, under Governor Haynes. Thurston RAYNOR left Wethersfield, CT with a group to found a village at Stamford (Rippowams), CT; they are credited with being the founding fathers of that town. In 1644, they established a colony at Hempstead, L.I.  Later, Thurston and others went on to Southampton.  For the past 350 years, Thurston RAYNOR's descendants have distinguished themselves on Eastern Long Island as farmers and tradesmen. Thurston RAYNOR himself was a prominent man; he was a Judge and member of the Legislature in Connecticut, and a Judge, Magistrate, and Freeman in Southampton, L.I.  His direct descendants are numerous throughout Eastern Suffolk County, New York as well as elsewhere in the United States. 
 
 

Edward RAYNOR, Thurston RAYNOR's orphaned nephew, accompanied Thurston to America in 1634 aboard the ship, Elizabeth, and settled in Hempstead, L.I. in the 1640's.  One of Edward's descendants, John RAYNOR, moved to East Moriches, L.I. about 1800 and had a large family there.  Many of the East Moriches RAYNORs are thus descended from Edward RAYNOR. 
 

Thurston RAYNOR's first wife, Elizabeth, was mother of the children they brought with them to America.  Elizabeth probably did not survive very long, and apparently, most of her children did not survive to adult years.

     Thurston RAYNOR's oldest son, Joseph, b. ca 1623, d. 1682, m. Mary Young, and had the following children: Thurston, Elizabeth, Mary, Isaac, John, Hannah, and Josiah.   Josiah, b. 1665, left Southampton, lived in Southold, and later, in Lyme, CT, where his children were born; eventually (after 1717), Josiah RAYNOR returned to Long Island and settled in St. George's Manor (Manorville). Most RAYNORs from Manorville and nearby communities are from the Josiah line. 

      Jonathan RAYNOR, son of Thurston and Martha (WOOD) RAYNOR, was born sometime between 1646 and 1661, Southampton.  On 2 June 1680, Jonathan RAYNOR was married in Southampton Town by Justice John Topping, to Sarah PIERSON, born 20 Jan 1660/61, Southampton, daughter of Henry and Mary (       ) PIERSON.  Jonathan and Sarah RAYNOR were the parents of: (1) Jonathan, born 4 Mar 1681/82; (2) Deborah; and (3) Hannah (1698 Census).  The family lived on the road to the beach in Southampton.  Jonathan RAYNOR died sometime after 1714.