The first known attempt to carry out any systematic general research into the Rayment, Raymond and Raymont surnames was made in the 1960s by the late John Leonard Rayment F.S.G. of Ongar in Essex.

In the early 1980s a small group of unrelated people comprising David Rayment of Bristol, Roy Rayment of Romford, Sylvia Bailey of Billericay and Michele Snook of Heathfield, each of whom had independently been researching their Rayment ancestors, decided to co-operate and and later to form a Rayment Society. The Society broadened its research to include the more common variants of the Rayment surname such as Raiment, Raymant, Raymond and Raymont, as a result of which the Society's records now encompass more than twenty similar names.

Since the beginning, a nucleus of volunteers contributed much of their time, effort and money to the Society in order to avoid the introduction of membership subscription fees etc. However, by the end of 1997 the constant increase in membership numbers and the increase in expenditure on research work and printing costs, it became evident that the volunteers, could no longer afford to fund the Society entirely from their own resources and so the decision was taken at the next General Meeting to introduce both a joining fee for new members and a small membership subscription, in order to help defray the cost of running the Society.

As a surname, its first recorded appearance in Britain was in 1086, during the reign of William the Conqueror, in the Domesday Book, with a reference to Giraldus Reimundus.

Judge Sir Thomas Raymond, born 1626/7, was called to the bar on 11 February 1651. He married Anne, the daughter of Sir Edward Fishe, second baronet, of Southill, Bedfordshire. They had a son Robert Raymond who was created serjeant-at-law in October 1677, one of his sponsors being the earl of Danby. Elevation to the bench, as a baron of exchequer on 1 May 1679, was followed by a knighthood on 26 June. He was transferred to Common Pleas on 7 February 1680 and to the King's Bench on 24 April 1680

Henry Jarvis Raymond, born on 24th January 1820 near Lima in New York, was a U.S. journalist and politician who, as first editor and chief proprietor of The New York Times (from 1851), did much to elevate the style and tone of contemporary newspapers and who was prominent in forming the Republican Party.  He prepared most of President Abraham Lincoln's platform in 1864 and was chairman of the Republican National Committee.

Arthur Emmons Raymond was born on 24th March 1899 at Boston, Massachusetts in the USA, the son of the owner of a luxury hotel. He grew up in Pasadena, California and completed a B.A. at Harvard University, and a M.S. in aeronautical engineering at MIT in 1921. He spent his entire career at the Douglas Aircraft Company and was the aeronautical engineer who led the team that designed the DC-3.

Alexander Gillespie Raymond was born on 2nd October 1909. He was an American cartoonist who was best known for creating the Flash Gordon comic strip in 1934. The strip was subsequently adapted into many other media, from three film serials (1936, 1938, 1940) to a 1970s television series and a 1980 feature film. He died on 6th September 1956.

Eric Steven Raymond was born on 4th December 1957 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, but lived in Venezuela as a child. His family moved to Pennsylvania in 1971. He suffered from cerebral palsy since birth and his weakened physical condition motivated him to go into computing. Often referred to as ESR, he became an American software developer and author.

Lisa Raymond was born on 10th August 1973 in Norristown, Pennsylvania, USA. She is a retired professional  tennis player who had great success in doubles tennis, reaching World No. 1 Ranking on 12th June 2000 and holding it for a total of 137 weeks. Over the course of her career she won four singles titles and 79 doubles titles, earning more than US$10 million in prize money. She is also an Olympic medalist, winning the bronze medal in the mixed doubles competition at the 2012 Summer Olympics for the United States, partnering with Mike Bryan.

A large quantity of data has been collected and new information is contantly being added. Probably of the greatest significance are the complete records held of all RAYMOND and variant entries in the GRO indexes (originally at Somerset House, then at St. Catherine's House and later at The Family Records Centre) consisting of births, marriages, deaths, adoptions, military records (including baptisms from 1761) and overseas (including Consular) records. It should be noted that, unlike those online anywhere else, our Birth and Death indexes are complete up to the end of 2018.

Other important records of RAYMONDS held include sets of Probate Calendar Book extracts, an index to PCC Wills and Administrations, photocopies and transcriptions of many English and Welsh Wills and Administrations, IGI extracts, numerous census returns, parish register extracts, monumental inscriptions, burial records, newspaper cuttings, correspondence, electoral registers, world-wide telephone directory listings, Commonwealth War Graves Commission records, United States Social Security Death Index, many photographs, a collection of videos, and a number birth, marriage and death certificates.

The Rayment Society operates a number of websites, the primary one being www.rayment.org

Roy Rayment may normally be reached by calling the Rayment Society's London Helpdesk, the telephone number of which is 01708 - 509027.

Guild members can access some of the records selected from Roy Rayment's One-Name Study by clicking here

Rayment Society members can access all of the Society's on-line records by visiting www.rayment.info but, since these records belong to the Society and not to Roy himself, they are only available to the Society's members.