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![Show Contents]() Reidgwell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The name Reidgwell is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when the family lived at the ridgeway a path along the back of a hill or ridge. Reidgwell is a topographic surname, which was given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a ridge. Early Origins of the Reidgwell familyThe surname Reidgwell was first found in Devon. "The extinct Baronet family, created Lords Londonderry in Ireland, traced their pedigree to 6. Edw. IV., when Stephen Ridgeway was one of the stewards of the city of Exeter. There are two places in Devonshire called Ridgeway, one near Honiton, and the other near Plymouth, but from which of these the family sprang is unknown. " 1 Torre Abbey in Torguay, Devon was held by the family for a period of time, but the history of owners in interesting: "John St. Leger, to whom the site was granted, sold it to Sir Hugh Pollard. Pollard's grandson conveyed it to Sir Edmund Seymour, and he sold it to Thomas Ridgway, ancestor of the Earls of Londonderry, the lord of the manor of Torre Mohun, which John Ridgway and John Petre had bought of Edward VI. By the Ridgways the whole property was held until 1653. Torre Abbey was then sold to John Stowell" 2 Early rolls revealed records in Cheshire: John del Ruggeway was listed in East Cheshire in 1355; and later Hugh Ridgeway was found in Cheshire in 1577. Katerine Ridgeway was buried at Prestbury Cheshire in 1560 and James Ridgway, of Offerton was listed in the Wills at Chester in 1594. There was one early record of the family in Yorkshire: Johannes de Rygeway, who was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. 3 Early History of the Reidgwell familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Reidgwell research. Another 95 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1565, 1583, 1600, 1606 and 1631 are included under the topic Early Reidgwell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Reidgwell Spelling VariationsIt is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Reidgwell 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. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Reidgwell include: Ridgway, Ridgeway and others. Early Notables of the Reidgwell familyDistinguished members of the family include Thomas Ridgeway, 1st Earl of Londonderry (1565? - 1631), English administrator active in the Ulster Plantation. He was son and heir of Thomas Ridgeway of Tor Mohun, Devon. He was born either at Torwood or at Tor Abbey and was appointed collector of customs at Exmouth in 1583. He was High Sheriff of Devon in...
Another 61 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Reidgwell Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.  Migration of the Reidgwell family to Ireland
Some of the Reidgwell family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 33 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Reidgwell familyMany English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Reidgwell or a variant listed above: Edward Ridgway who settled in Maryland, at the age of 40; in 1679; the same year that Richard Ridgway settled in Pennsylvania with his wife, Elizabeth, and two sons. James Ridgway was brought to America, in bondage, since he was a convict, in 1661. Elizabeth Ridgway arrived in the New World in the same fashion in 1694.
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: Mihi gravato Deus
Motto Translation: Let God lay the burden on me.
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
- Worth, R.N., A History of Devonshire London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, E.G., 1895. Digital
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
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England
Ireland
