This interesting surname is one of the patronymic forms of the male personal name "Richard", which is Germanic in origin and means "powerful ruler". The Old German name "Ric(h)ard" is composed of the elements "ric", power and "hard", hardy, brave, strong. The name is found occasionally in pre-Conquest Britain, but was popularized to a great extent by the Normans after the Conquest of 1066, introduced in the form of "Ricard". There are a great many variant surnames that were generated by the given name "Richard", including the patronymic forms Richards, Ritchard, Richardes, Rickeard and Ricarde, which all mean "son of Richard".
The surname Richard is first recorded in the Oxfordshire Hundred Rolls of 1276 as Thomas Richard. Church Recordings include Anne Richardes who was christened on January 13th 1542 at St. Andrew Hubbard with St. Mary at Hill, London, and Arthur Richardes who was christened on March 14th 1564 at St. Margaret Lothbury, London. One John Richards was an early emigrant to the New World; he left London in August 1635 bound for Virginia. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Thomas Richardes, which was dated 1327, in the "Worcestershire Subsidy Rolls", during the reign of King Edward 111, known as "The Father of the Navy", 1327 - 1377. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.
Research into the possible origins of rickeard leads us to learn more about those who bear this surname. We can try to trace the genealogy of the surname rickeard, and in addition to the original locations of rickeard, we can find out where people with the surname rickeard can currently be found.
There is a considerable probability that rickeard has crossed the borders of its place of origin to establish itself, to a greater or lesser extent, in other parts of the world. With all the information we have today, it can be said that the countries where rickeard is most abundant are the following. The mobility of people carrying the surname rickeard has led to its presence in different countries, as you can verify.
The deeds, the way of life, the places they lived, the family relationships they had, the jobs they held by those who were the first to be named rickeard are found in every look back in the history of this lineage. The history, heraldry, coats of arms, and possible nobility of the surname rickeard are scattered in documents across various regions and historical periods, so it is necessary to reconstruct a complex puzzle to approach the facts from a realistic perspective.
It is common for genealogy and surname enthusiasts to provide us with information of special value, so the data we offer about the origins of rickeard could be modified. Please note that if you are in a position to provide more data about the surname rickeard or any other surname and its origin, we would appreciate your collaboration with us by sending us information about the origin of rickeard.
We assume that there have been significant contributions to humanity made by individuals with the surname rickeard, even though not all have been documented to our present day. A surname like rickeard can connect a person to an illustrious lineage and a distinguished coat of arms. However, it must be kept in mind that it is individual people who, through their lives and actions, bring fame and recognition to their surnames. It is our desire to highlight in this section those individuals with the surname rickeard who, for various reasons, have left their mark on the course of history.
The bibliography collects information related to the surname rickeard, which allows us to learn more about its meaning. We consider it highly advisable to refer to the following sources if you wish to conduct research on the surname rickeard, as well as many other surnames.
These sources are essential for initiating the understanding of rickeard, and at the same time, of surnames in general.