Riddley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancient roots of the Riddley family name are in the Anglo-Saxon culture. The name Riddley comes from when the family lived in the region of Ridley in the counties of Northumberland, Cheshire and Kent. Riddley is a topographic surname, which was given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree. Habitation names form the other broad category of surnames that were derived from place-names. They were derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Riddley family

The surname Riddley was first found in Northumberland where one of the first records of the name was Nicolas de Ridley who executed a charter in 1250. Later, Nicolas de Redley or Ridley lived in 1306 at Ridley in this county. Another early record reveals Odard Ridley as Coroner of Tyndale in 1278. His grandfather was probably brother of John Fitz-Odard, Baron of Emildon (living 1161-1182) and son of Odard, Viscount of Northumberland.

The township of Melkridge was an early home to the family. "It belonged at an early period to the Ridleys, of whom Sir Nicholas Ridley was proprietor in the 16th century; the chief estate afterwards came to the Nevilles, of Chevet, and from them passed to the Blacketts, the present owners. " 1

Wall-Town again in Northumberland was home to another branch of the family since early times. "In Henry VIII.'s time Wall-Town was the property of the Ridleys, who continued here till the reign of Charles I., if not later. The tower of Wall-Town, which was a castellated building, is described, in 1542, as the inheritance of John Ridley." 1

Early History of the Riddley family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Riddley research. Another 168 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1500, 1547, 1550, 1555, 1560, 1576, 1624, 1629, 1653, 1691, 1692 and 1708 are included under the topic Early Riddley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Riddley Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Riddley has appeared include Ridley, Ridly and others.

Early Notables of the Riddley family

Distinguished members of the family include Lancelot Ridley (died 1576), an English divine, said to have been the son of John Ridley of Willimoteswick in Northumberland; and his second son, Dr. Mark Ridley (1560-c.1624), an English physician born at Stretham, Cambridgeshire; and Nicholas Ridley (1500-1555) an English Bishop of London, burned at the stake as one of the Oxford Martyrs. 2 Sir Thomas...
Another 62 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Riddley Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Riddley family

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Riddley arrived in North America very early: Richard Ridley settled in Boston in 1635; along with Anne; Elizabeth Ridley settled in Bermuda in 1635; John Ridley settled in South Carolina in 1716.

The Riddley Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Constans fidei
Motto Translation: Constant to honor.

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print