Before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the largely illiterate Middle Ages, so one person’s name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Also, two men of the same family could have had a different surname while two men that were not related could have the same surname.
http://www.lutterworth.com/lp/titles/surnames.htm Therefore, Rokowski, Rekowski, Rukioski, and Rakwoski are all spelling variations of the same name and they all have the same meaning and origin.
Rakowski Name Meaning and History
Polish, Ukrainian, Belorussian, and Jewish (from Poland): habitational name for someone from any of several places named Rakowo and Raków, including one south of Warsaw and another in Belarus, which was a frontier town between Poland and the Soviet Union from 1921 to 1939.
Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-508137-4
http://www.ancestry.com/facts/Rakowski-family-history.ashx
Rakowski Name Meaning and History
This Polish, Czech and East Ashkenazic Jewish surname of RAKOWSKI was apparently from the Slavonic word RAK, meaning 'crab, crayfish'. The reasons for the surname are not clear. It may be a nickname, and in some areas where crabs were familiar; it may have been applied to someone who did not walk straight or one who was not entirely 'straight' in his dealings. In some cases it represents a translation of the German word KREB, and as an Ashkenazic name may have been one of the unflattering surnames bestowed on Jews by non-Jewish government officials in the 18th and 19th century in Eastern Europe. The Polish and Jewish variant RAKOWSKY may have been derived from any of several places called RAKOW, including a place south of Warsaw and another in Belorussia, which was a frontier town between Poland and the Soviet Union between 1921 and 1939. The name is also spelt RACZEK, RAKOWIECKI and RACZKOWSKI. The earliest Polish surnames were patronymic. The personal names from which they were derived were mainly Slavonic, but as the Middle Ages progressed, traditional Slavic given names, began to give way to saint's names, mainly of Latin origin. Surnames derived from Slavonic personal names are of early origin, and tend to be borne by aristocratic families. Many Polish people acquired their surnames by reason of former residence in a town or village. There are nearly 600 families bearing the arms of a horseshoe enclosing a cross. Some names were changed by immigrants whilst on the boat heading for America and Australia. These transformations were usually to names thought by the immigrants to be more respected in their native land than the one he bore. Many Poles added 'ski' to their names to attain a higher social status since such names were accorded more respect from people of Polish extraction. Thus a larger proportion of Polish names carried this termination in America and Australia than in Poland. http://www.4crests.com/rakowski-coat-of-arms.html
Coats of Arms
Except for a few cases, there is really no such thing as a catch-all "coat of arms" for a surname. BUT, you will find literally hundreds of web sites on the Internet that will tell you otherwise. In actuality, "coats of arms" are usually granted only to a single person ... and NOT to an entire family or to a particular surname. Coats of arms are inheritable property, and they generally descend to male lineal descendents of the original arms grantee. So, you will know if you inherited a "coat of arms" ... because if you did, you'll already have it! The caveat to this paragraph is that "rules" and traditions regarding Coats of Arms vary from country to country. So, be certain to research the heraldry traditions of your ancestor's home country.
There are many links to articles about Coats of Arms and heraldry, at Kimberly Powell's About.com genealogy site.
A newsgroup devoted to heraldry has posted some very good explanations regarding a coat of arms and family crests. It explains what they can mean, and it even discusses software available for heraldic studies.
Legitimate Arms
If you'd like to read more about true coats of arms then these websites are good places to start:
The Baronage Press
American College Of Heraldry
Institute of Heraldic and Genealogical Studies
Arms for Entertainment or Decoration
If, for the sole purpose of fun and entertainment, you still want to see some coats of arms associated (loosely) with your surname, then you can read through the below linked websites. Some of them have free "coats of arms" images. Bear in mind, though, that for most all of us, viewing these coats of arms, or buying mugs, t-shirts or plaques bearing these images is really just for fun or decoration.
Free Coat of Arms
Free Coat of Arms Search (Extensive Site!)
Coats of Arms Designs of Wonder
Coats of Arms on the Internet
Fleur-de-Lis Designs
http://www.progenealogists.com/coatofarms.html
The family crest is typically a figure and generally a beast of some kind. It can be found "atop the helmet placed above the shield." Traditionally the crest has been used primarily by men. However, some queens of England of Britain have been treated with crests. In the early history of the family crest, its issuance was usually confined to people of rank, but later the crest was included in nearly every grant of arms.