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Show ContentsRiches History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
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Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

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Riches is a name that first reached England following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Riches family lived in Hampshire. Their name, however, is a reference to Riche, in Lorraine, France, the family's place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. 1

Another equally valid derivation of the name suggests that it is patronymic, which means it was adapted from the first name of the original bearer's father. According to this version it comes from the Norman personal name Richard. Riches is a classic example of an English polygenetic surname, which is a surname that was developed in a number of different locations and adopted by various families independently.

The name was "probably an abbreviation of Richard, than an epithet implying wealth," 2 3 but may have also have originated in France as "Riche was near Nancy, in Lorraine." 1

"Rich is a characteristic west of England name, being most frequent in Somerset and Wiltshire. Those of Somerset are most numerous in the Bridgewater district, whilst those of Wiltshire are most frequent in the Malmesbury district. Le Rich was the name of a Hampshire family of the 14th century." 4

Early Origins of the Riches family

The surname Riches was first found in Hampshire where the first on record include Edmund Rich, Saint Edmund (1175-1240) English churchman, who became Archbishop of Canterbury. He was born at Abingdon and his father's name was Edward or Reinald Rich. His father withdrew to the monastery of Evesham, or more probably to Ensham, near Oxford. 5

Godwinus Dius, Le Riche was listed in the Pipe Rolls for Lincolnshire in 1177 and 1185. The same rolls included and entry for Mosse le Riche in Gloucestershire in 1195 and in Sussex we found William Riche in the Subsidy Rolls for 1296. Thomas filius Ricun, was listed in the Hundredorum Rolls in Huntingdonshire in 1274. 6

Robert Rich (fl. 1240), was an English biographer, second son of Reginald and Mabel Rich of Abingdon, and younger brother of St. Edmund Rich, Archbishop of Canterbury.

Another source notes that the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 also included three listings of the family with early spellings, all found in Oxfordshire: Henry le Ryche; Hugo le Ryche; and Bruman le Riche. 7

Over in Somerset, Kirby's Quest listed William le Riche and John le Riche, Somerset, 1 Edward III (during the first year of King Edward III's reign.) 8

Early History of the Riches family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Riches research. Another 111 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1496, 1540, 1547, 1567, 1587, 1594, 1601, 1611, 1619, 1620, 1625, 1640, 1648, 1657, 1658, 1659, 1660, 1667, 1673, 1675, 1678, 1689, 1692, 1699 and 1714 are included under the topic Early Riches History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Riches Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, Anglo-Norman surnames like Riches are characterized by many spelling variations. 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. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages such as Norman French and Latin, even literate people regularly changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Riches include Rich, Riche, Richin, Riching, Richins, Richings and others.

Early Notables of the Riches family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Richard Rich (c. 1496-1567), 1st Baron Rich, Lord Chancellor of England during the reign of King Edward VI; Barnabe Rich (1540-1620), English author and soldier; Sir Edwin Rich (c. 1594-1675), an English lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1640; Robert Rich (1587-1658) 2nd Earl of Warwick, an English colonial administrator, admiral, and puritan; Robert Rich, 3rd Earl of Warwick (1611-1659); Jeremiah Rich (died c. 1660), an English stenographer who published...
Another 82 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Riches Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Riches family to Ireland

Some of the Riches family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

United States Riches migration to the United States +

Faced with the chaos present in England at that time, many English families looked towards the open frontiers of the New World with its opportunities to escape oppression and starvation. People migrated to North America, as well as Australia and Ireland in droves, paying exorbitant rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, but those who did see the shores of North America were welcomed with great opportunity. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America carried the name Riches, or a variant listed above:

Riches Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Daniel Riches, who arrived in Virginia in 1700 9
  • Mathew Riches, who landed in Virginia in 1705 9

Australia Riches migration to Australia +

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

Riches Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Francis Riches, British Convict who was convicted in Worcester, Worcestershire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Coromandel" on 27th October 1819, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 10
  • Mr. Samuel Riches, British Convict who was convicted in Norfolk, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Earl St Vincent" on 6th April 1820, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 11
  • Robert Riches, English convict from Norfolk, who was transported aboard the "Asia" on April 1st, 1822, settling in New South Wales, Australia 12
  • Miss Susan Maria Riches, English convict who was convicted in Suffolk, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Diana" on 4th December 1832, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 13
  • Mr. William Riches, (b. 1812), aged 27, English farm labourer who was convicted in Norfolk, England for 14 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Canton" on 20th September 1839, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), he died in 1840 14
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Riches (post 1700) +

  • Adam Riches, English comedian, winner of the Foster's Edinburgh Comedy Award
  • David Riches, Scottish bronze medalist rower at the 1986 Commonwealth Games
  • Steven Alexander Riches (b. 1976), Australian football midfielder
  • John Riches (1920-1999), Welsh cricketer
  • Tom Hurry Riches (1846-1911), British engineer, Locomotive Superintendent of the Taff Vale Railway (1873–1911), President of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (1907–1908)
  • The Rt. Rev. Kenneth Riches (1908-1999), British Anglican Bishop of Dorchester (1952-1957) and Lincoln (1957-1974)
  • General Sir Ian Hurry Riches KCB DSO RM (1908-1996), British Royal Marines officer, Commandant General Royal Marines
  • Naomi Joy Riches MBE (b. 1983), British gold medalist adaptive rower at the 2012 Summer Paralympics
  • Norman Vaughan Hurry Riches (1883-1975), Welsh cricketer who played from 1925 through 1934

The Riches 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: Garde la foy
Motto Translation: Keep the faith.
  1. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
  2. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  3. Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
  4. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  5. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  6. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  7. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  8. Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
  9. 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)
  10. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 12th March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/coromandel
  11. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 10th September 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-st-vincent
  12. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Asia 1 voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1822 with 190 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1822
  13. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 5th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/Diana
  14. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 17th December 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/canton
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