Ridyard History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

In ancient Anglo-Saxon England, the ancestors of the Ridyard surname lived in Rudyard, Staffordshire. The place-name Rudyard means "yard where rue was grown" derived from the Old English words rude + geard. 1

Rue is a perennial evergreen shrub common in Europe with yellow flowers. The plant is psychoactive; the leaves of the shrub were used as a stimulant in the Middle Ages. The leaves were noted for their strong smell and bitter taste.

Early Origins of the Ridyard family

The surname Ridyard was first found in Staffordshire at Rudyard, a small village west of Leek on the shores of Rudyard Lake. The lake is quite recent, built in 1797 by the engineer John Rennie, for the Trent and Mersey Canal company. 2

But the placename dates back to at least 1002 when it was listed as Rudegeard, yet a few years later it was listed as Rudierd in the Domesday Book of 1086. 1 At that time, it was part of the Pirehill Hundred and owned by the King. 3

William de Rodyard, de Rodiard, or de Rudyard (c.1275- c. 1349) was an English-born juristy and cleric. He held office as Chief Justice of the Irish Common Pleas. He was also Dean of St Patrick's Cathedral, and briefly Deputy Lord Treasurer of Ireland. He was the first Chancellor of the Medieval University of Dublin. He is generally thought ot have been born in Rudyard, Staffordshire.

Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936), the famous English journalist, short-story writer, poet, and novelist was born in India but his parents named their son after the village.

Early History of the Ridyard family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ridyard research. Another 84 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1030, 1066, 1572, 1620, 1621, 1630, 1640, 1648, 1658, 1682, 1683 and 1692 are included under the topic Early Ridyard History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ridyard Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Ridyard are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Ridyard include: Rudyard, Rudgard, Rudyer and others.

Early Notables of the Ridyard family

Distinguished members of the family include Sir Benjamin Rudyerd (Rudyard) (1572-1658), an English poet and politician, sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1621 and 1648, one of the incorporators of the Providence Company (1630)...
Another 37 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Ridyard Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ridyard migration to Australia +

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

Ridyard Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. John Ridyard, English convict who was convicted in Bolton, Lancashire, England for 10 years, transported aboard the "Emerald Isle" on 28th June 1843, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 4

Ridyard 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:

Ridyard Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

James Ridyard, aged 33, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Conflict" in 1874
Eliza Ridyard, aged 30, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Conflict" in 1874
Arthur C. Ridyard, aged 3, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Conflict" in 1874

Contemporary Notables of the name Ridyard (post 1700) +

Alf Ridyard (1908-1981), English professional footballer, active between 1930 and 1947
Martyn Ridyard (b. 1986), English professional rugby league footballer from Leigh, Greater Manchester
Eveline Ridyard (1898-1973), birth name of Eveline Hill, a British catering business manager and Conservative Party politician who served for fourteen years as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Manchester Wythenshawe (1950-1964)

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia. Retrieved 25th March 2022 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/emerald-isle