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Riddell History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Riddell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Belgium
England
Scotland

Early Origins of the Riddell family

The surname Riddell was first found in Belgium, where the name became noted for its many branches in the region, each house acquiring a status and influence which was envied by the princes of the region. Riddell is of Norman origin, the surname having been created from the personal name Ridel. The source of this personal name is somewhat uncertain: some scholars think it may come from the Old French word 'ridel,' which meant "small hill," others cite the Germanic word 'rid,' which meant "ride." The Normans, originally of Viking origin established their presence in Normandy in the 900s, and by the second half of the 11th century held present day Belgium, Holland, most of France, much of the British Isles, Southern Italy, and parts of Spain. Forms of this surname likely traveled amongst Norman controlled territories. The name was a baronial name in Aquitaine, France, where the first recorded instance of Riddell is of Gerard Riddell, Baron of Blaye, who was granted lands of the Abbey of Fons Dulcis near Bordeaux in circa 1030. One branch of the family possessed estates in Normandy in 1165. A Geoffry Ridel, recorded in Normandy in 1180 was later recorded in Scotland and received grants from King David I. The name is also known to have accompanied William I's Norman Conquest of England, which began in 1066. Bearers of Riddell were certainly a most influential family.

Early History of the Riddell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Riddell research. Another 114 words (8 lines of text) covering the year 1628 is included under the topic Early Riddell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Riddell Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Riddel, Riddle, Riddall, Ridal, Ridel, Riddle, Riddler, Riddell, De Riddler and many more.

Early Notables of the Riddell family

More information is included under the topic Early Riddell Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Riddell Ranking

In the United States, the name Riddell is the 4,743^rd most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 1 However, in New Zealand, the name Riddell is ranked the 715^th most popular surname with an estimated 1,000 people with that name. 2

Riddell migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Riddell Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

William Riddell, who settled in Virginia in 1635
William Riddell, aged 16, who landed in Virginia in 1635 aboard the ship "Paul" 3
Archibald Riddell, who landed in New Jersey in 1685 3

Riddell Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

George Riddell, who arrived in Virginia in 1770 3
John Riddell, who arrived in Virginia in 1770 3

Riddell Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

James Riddell, who landed in Mississippi in 1845 3

Riddell migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Riddell Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Mr. Edward Riddell, aged 3 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Sobraon" departing 8th May 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 29th June 1847 but he died on board 4

Riddell migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Riddell Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Jean Riddell, Scottish convict from Edinburgh, who was transported aboard the "Arab" on December 14, 1835, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 5
Miss Ann Riddell, (b. 1824), aged 17, Scottish house servant from Aberdeen, Scotland departing on 8th July 1841 from Greenock, Scotland aboard the ship "New York Packet" arriving in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia on 23rd October 1841 6
Miss Isabella Riddell who was convicted in Aberdeen, Scotland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Emma Eugenia" on 25th October 1850, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 7
Mr. Joseph Hadley Riddell, British Convict who was convicted in London, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Dudbrook" on 17th November 1852, arriving in Western Australia 8
William Riddell, aged 25, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1852 aboard the ship "Charlotte Jane" 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Riddell migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Riddell Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

George Riddell, aged 31, a carpenter, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "George Fyfe" in 1842
Marion Riddell, aged 31, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "George Fyfe" in 1842
James Riddell, aged 3, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "George Fyfe" in 1842
Allison Riddell, aged 1, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "George Fyfe" in 1842
Miss Sarah Riddell, (b. 1834), aged 25, Scottish settler from Lanark travelling from London aboard the ship "Zealandia" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 14th November 1859 10
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Riddell (post 1700) +

John Leonard Riddell (1807-1865), American science lecturer, science fiction author and inventor of the first practical microscope to enable binocular viewing of objects through a single objective lens
John Keith Riddell (1931-2024), Canadian politician in Ontario
Michael Riddell (1953-2022), New Zealand Christian minister and writer, born in Porirua East (now Cannons Creek), New Zealand
Ian Riddell (1937-1938), Scottish semi-professional footballer who made 168 appearances as a left-back
Mr. Christopher Barry Riddell O.B.E. (b. 1961), born in Capetown, South Afriaca, British Illustrator and Cartoonist, was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire on 29th December 2018 for services to Illustration and to charity 11
Clayton H. "Clay" Riddell OC (1936-2018), Canadian businessman who was the founder, president and CEO of Paramount Resources, based in Calgary, Alberta
Robert Riddell (d. 1794), Scottish antiquary and patron of Burns, son of Walter Riddell of Newhouse, who was taken prisoner in 1745 by the Jacobites and died in 1788
John Riddell (1785-1862), Scottish peerage lawyer, eldest son of Henry Riddell of Little Govan, a scion of the ancient family of Riddell in Roxburghshire
James Riddell (1823-1866), English classical scholar, eldest son of James Riddell (1796–1878), M.A. of Balliol College, rector of Easton, Hampshire
Henry Scott Riddell (1798-1870), Scottish poet and songwriter, son of a shepherd, born at Sorbie, parish of Ewes, Dumfriesshir; he started his working career as a shepherd at Deloraine, Selkirkshire
... (Another 13 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Riddell family +

Empress of Ireland

Miss Alice Riddell (d. 1914), British Stewardess from United Kingdom who worked aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 12

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 93)
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2015, January 8) Arab voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1835 with 132 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/arab/1835
Ship Voyages to New South Wales (Retrieved 18th November 2020). Retrieved from http://indexes.records.nsw.gov.au/ebook/list.aspx?Page=NRS5316/4_4782/New%20York%20Packet_23%20Oct%201841/4_478200095.jpg&No=266
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 7th April 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/emma-eugenia
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 23rd July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/dudbrook
South Australian Register Tuesday 3 February 1852. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) CHARLOTTE JANE 1852. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/charlottejane1852.shtml
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
"Birthday and New Year Honours Lists (1940 to 2019)." Issue 62507, 28 December 2018 | London Gazette, The Gazette, Dec. 2018, www.thegazette.co.uk/honours-lists
Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html