Contents [hide]

Rice History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Suggested Reading Citations

Rice History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany
Wales
Ireland

The origins of the Welsh name Rice go back to those ancient Celts known as the Britons that once occupied the hills and Moors of Wales. This old Welsh surname is from the Welsh personal name Rhys, which also took the forms Rice and Rees. This name was originally derived from the Old Welsh forename Ris, which means ardour. 1

Early Origins of the Rice family

The surname Rice was first found in Carmarthenshire (Welsh: Sir Gaerfyrddin), located in Southwest Wales, one of thirteen historic counties and presently one of the principal area in Wales, where they held a family seat from very early times.

"Rhys, or Rees (Welsh), Red. A name borne nearly eight centuries ago by Rhys ab Tewdwr ab Eineon ab Owen ab Howell Dda, or, as sometimes styled, Rhys ab Tewdwr Mawr; i. e., Rice, son of Tudor, son of Eineon, son of Owen, son of Howell the Good, or Rice, son of Tudor the Great. " 2

The first record of the family in early rolls was found in Saxon times where the mononym Hris in Cambridgeshire in 1052. 1 Rees is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 in Cheshire. 3 The Pipe Rolls of 1178 list Resus filius Griffini in Devon and a few years later, Griffinus filius Res was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Shropshire in 1198, while the same rolls included an entry for Griffinus Ris in Gloucestershire. In Lincolnshire, William Res was recorded in the Curia Regis Rolls for 1203, John Rees was listed in the Feet of Fines for Suffolk in 1288, and Walter Rys was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Worcestershire in 1327. 1

Early History of the Rice family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rice research. Another 177 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1449, 1467, 1519, 1524, 1525, 1532, 1535, 1536, 1548, 1573, 1579, 1601, 1605, 1606, 1607, 1637, 1647, 1715, 1722, 1724, 1762, 1779, 1790, 1843, 1844, 1865, 1868, 1871, 1872, 1879, 1882 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Rice History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rice Spelling Variations

Compared to other ancient cultures found in the British Isles, the number of Welsh surnames are relatively few, but there are an inordinately large number of spelling variations. These spelling variations began almost as soon as surname usage became common. People could not specify how to spell their own names leaving the specific recording up to the individual scribe or priest. Those recorders would then spell the names as they heard them, causing many different variations. Later, many Welsh names were recorded in English. This transliteration process was extremely imprecise since the Brythonic Celtic language of the Welsh used many sounds the English language was not accustomed to. Finally, some variations occurred by the individual's design: a branch loyalty within a family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations were indicated by spelling variations of one's name. The Rice name over the years has been spelled Rice, Rees, Rhys and others.

Early Notables of the Rice family

Prominent amongst the family during the late Middle Ages was

Richard Rice or Price (fl. 1548-1579), Welsh author, son of Robert ap Rhys ap Maredudd of Foelas and Plas Iolyn, Denbighshire
Rhys (or Rice) ap Thomas (1449-1525), supporter of Henry VII, third son of Thomas ap Gruffydd ap Nicolas of Newton, Carmarthenshire, and his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Sir John Gruffydd of Abermarlai...
Sir John ap Rhys, Price ap Price (d. 1573?), Welsh visitor of the monasteries, was son of Rhys ab Gwilym by Gwenllian, daughter of Howel Madoc. His family was ancient. He is said to have been educated...
Richard Rice or Price (fl. 1548-1579), the Welsh author, described by Tanner as 'Suffolciensis,' was a brother of Ellis Price (Letters and Papers of Henry VIII, x. 434), and son of Robert ap Rhys ap M...

Rice World Ranking

In the United States, the name Rice is the 146^th most popular surname with an estimated 159,168 people with that name. 4 However, in Canada, the name Rice is ranked the 600^th most popular surname with an estimated 8,405 people with that name. 5 And in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Rice is the 145^th popular surname with an estimated 264 people with that name. 6 Australia ranks Rice as 496^th with 7,691 people. 7 New Zealand ranks Rice as 707^th with 1,008 people. 8 The United Kingdom ranks Rice as 412^nd with 15,822 people. 9

Migration of the Rice family to Ireland

Some of the Rice family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 110 words (8 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rice migration to the United States +

Many people from Wales joined the general migration to North America in the 19th and 20th centuries, searching for land, work, and freedom. Like the many other immigrants from the British Isles, they made a significant contribution to the development of Canada and the United States. The Welsh and their descendents added a rich cultural tradition to the newly developed towns, cities, and villages. An investigation of the immigration and passenger lists has revealed a number of people bearing the name Rice:

Rice Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Henry Rice who settled in Virginia in 1622
Ann Rice, aged 23, who landed in Virginia in 1635 10
Edmund Rice (c.1594–1663), English Deacon in the Puritan Church, born in Stanstead, Suffolk, who immigrated to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1638
John Rice, who settled in Virginia in 1639
Richard Rice, who settled in Virginia in 1650

Rice Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Carleton Rice, who landed in Virginia in 1717 10
Daniel Rice, who landed in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania in 1764 10

Rice Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Ally Rice, who landed in New London, Connecticut in 1811 10
Biddy Rice, who arrived in New York, NY in 1812 10
Charles Rice, aged 36, who arrived in Maryland in 1812 10
Canlan Rice, who arrived in Baltimore, Maryland in 1816 10
Bridget Rice, aged 6, who landed in New York, NY in 1855 10
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Rice migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Rice Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

David Rice, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1750
Benjamin Rice, who arrived in Anapolis (Annapolis), Nova Scotia in 1760
Beriah Rice, who landed in Anapolis (Annapolis), Nova Scotia in 1760

Rice Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

James Rice, aged 39, a servant, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the brig "Ugoni" from Belfast, Ireland
Catherine Rice, aged 23, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Ann & Mary" from Cork, Ireland
Ann Rice, aged 18, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Ann & Mary" from Cork, Ireland
John Rice, aged 20, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Betsy Heron" from Belfast, Ireland
Mary Rice, aged 24, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Dorcas Savage" from Belfast, Ireland
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Rice migration to Australia +

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

Rice Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Henry Rice, British convict who was convicted in Chester, Cheshire, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Calcutta" in February 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 11
Mr. William Rice, (b. 1796), aged 19, English groom who was convicted in Middlesex, England for life, transported aboard the "Baring" in April 1815, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 12
Mr. John Rice, Canadian covict who was convicted in Kingston, Ontario, Canada for 14 years, transported aboard the "Atlas" on 16th January 1816, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 13
Mr.Henry Rice, (b. 1793), aged 26, Irish farm labourer who was convicted in Dublin, Ireland for life for burglary, transported aboard the "Bencoolen" on 24th April 1819, arriving in New South Wales, Australia before being transferred to Tasmania via the "Admiral Cockburn", he died in 1829 14
Robert Rice Mr. settled in New South Wales, Australia in 1823 15
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Rice 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:

Rice Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

William Rice, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bombay" in 1842 16
Mr. Michael Rice, British settler, as the 2nd Detachment of New Zealand Corps of Royal New Zealand Fencibles travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Minerva" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 8th October 1847 17
Mr. Robert Rice, (b. 1836), aged 22, Irish labourer from County Down travelling from London aboard the ship "Strathallan" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st January 1859 18
Mr. Hans Rice, (b. 1841), aged 21, Irish farm labourer from County Down travelling from London aboard the ship "Zealandia" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 23rd May 1862 18
Mr. Edward Rice, (b. 1826), aged 36, British labourer travelling from London aboard the ship "Echunga" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 24th December 1862 17
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Rice (post 1700) +

Condoleezza Rice (b. 1954), American professor, diplomat, author, and national security expert, 66th United States Secretary of State and National Security Advisor from 2001 to 2005
Sarah Rice (1955-2024), American theatre actress known for productions like Sweeney Todd which won her a Theatre World Award in 1979
Ronald L. Rice (1945-2023), American Democratic Party politician who has served in the New Jersey State Senate from 1986 to 2022
Ron Rice (d. 2022), American entrepreneur who founded Hawaiian Tropic, an American brand of suntan lotion sold around the world in 1969 with a $500 loan from his father
Ronald C. Rice (b. 1968), American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New Jersey, 1996, 2008; Candidate in primary for New Jersey 10th District, 2012 19
Anne Rice (1941-2021), born Howard Allen Frances O'Brien, an American author of gothic fiction, erotic literature, and Christian literature, best known for her series of novels The Vampire Chronicles
Megan Gillespie Rice S.H.C.J. (1930-2021), American nuclear disarmament activist, Catholic nun, and former missionary
Norman Blann Rice (b. 1943), American politician who served as the 49th mayor of Seattle, Washington
David Anthony "Tony" Rice (1951-2020), American guitarist and bluegrass musician, inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame in 2013
Kenneth Earl "Ken" Rice (1939-2020), American professional AFL football offensive tackle for the Buffalo Bills, Oakland Raiders, and the Miami Dolphins (1961-1967)
... (Another 270 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Rice family +

Empress of Ireland

Mr. Edward Rice, British Fireman from United Kingdom who worked aboard the Empress of Ireland (1914) and survived the sinking 20

Frank Rock Slide

Mr. Charles Rice, Canadian resident of Frank, Alberta who was buried in the Frank Rock Slide on 29th April 1903 21

Halifax Explosion

Mrs. Clara Evelyn Rice, Canadian resident from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 22
Mr. Frank D. Rice, Canadian resident from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 22

HMAS Sydney II

Mr. Desmond Maxwell Rice (1924-1941), Australian Stoker 3rd Class from Elwood, Victoria, Australia, who sailed into battle aboard HMAS Sydney II and died in the sinking 23

HMS Cornwall

Geoffrey Frederick Rice, British Chief Engineer Room Artificer aboard the HMS Cornwall (1942) when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he survived the sinking 24

HMS Hood

Mr. Herbert F Rice (b. 1917), English Stoker 2nd Class serving for the Royal Navy from Birmingham, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 25

HMS Prince of Wales

Mr. John Henry Rice, British Marine, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and died in the sinking 26
Mr. Francis Rice, British Able Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and died in the sinking 26

RMS Lusitania

Mr. Michael Rice, Irish Fireman from Armagh, Ireland, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 27
Mr. Stephen Rice, Irish Fireman from County Armagh, Ireland, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking 27

RMS Titanic

Mr. John Reginald Rice (d. 1912), aged 25, English Clerk from Crosby, Lancashire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking and was recovered by CS Mackay-Bennett 28
Mr. Charles Rice (d. 1912), aged 32, English Trimmer from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 28
Mrs. Margaret Rice (d. 1912), (née Norton), aged 39, Irish Third Class passenger from Athlone, Westmeath who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking and was recovered by CS Mackay-Bennett 28
Master Albert Rice (d. 1912), aged 10, Irish Third Class passenger from Athlone, Westmeath who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 28
Master George Hugh Rice (d. 1912), aged 8, Irish Third Class passenger from Athlone, Westmeath who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 28
... (Another 3 entries are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

USS Arizona

Mr. William Albert Rice, American Seaman Second Class from Washington, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 29

The Rice 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: Secret et hardi
Motto Translation: Secret and bold.

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Dixon, Bernard Homer, Surnames. London: John Wilson and son, 1857. Print
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
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)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/calcutta
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/baring
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th July 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/atlas
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 5th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bencoolen
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th September 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-st-vincent
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 7th November 2010). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, February 24) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
Calgary Herald news article retrieved 11th August 2021. Retrieved from https://smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital/calgaryherald/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Calgary_Herald_Thu__Apr_30__1903_-copy-scaled.jpg
Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance
HMAS Sydney II, Finding Sydney Foundation - Roll of Honour. (Retrieved 2014, April 24) . Retrieved from http://www.findingsydney.com/roll.asp
Force Z Survivors Crew List HMS Cornwall (Retrieved 2018, February 13th) - Retrieved from https://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listcornwallcrew.html#A
H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 7) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/
Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html
Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html