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Richman History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Richman History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany
Ireland

Richman is a name that was brought to England by the ancestors of the Richman family when they migrated to the region after the Norman Conquest in 1066. The Richman family lived in Yorkshire, at Richmond. This local name indicated that its original bearer hailed from Richmond, a location which takes its name from the Norman personal name Richard, meaning brave and strong. Richmond (Richemont) was originally a place in the arrondissement of Neufchatel in Normandy. 1

Not withstanding the above, we did find this interesting passage which we include in its entirety: "Alain le Roux, son of Eudes Count of Brittany, 'in his very youth not a little famous for his valour,' led the division comprising the men of Brittany and Maine, that formed the left wing of the Norman army at Hastings, and received three entire wapentakes in North Yorkshire, which became the great Honour of Richmond, the name given by the new possessor in the new language to the old English soke of Gilling." 2 Essentially this passage confirms the entry of the family into England with the Conqueror. Furthermore, the author goes on to explain that "Alain Fergant, Alain le Roux, and Alain le Noir " all arrived with the Conqueror and all were granted lands. Alain le Roux and Alain le Noir were brothers, the sons of Eudes of Brittany, Count of Penthievre. Alain le Roux's change to the name Richmond cleared up the confusion.

Early Origins of the Richman family

The surname Richman was first found in the North Riding of Yorkshire at Richmond, a borough, market-town, and parish. "The town and castle seem to have been founded in the reign of William the Conqueror, by his nephew Alan Rufus, upon whom he bestowed the whole district, with the title of Earl, and who gave the place the name of 'Rich Mount,' indicating, it is presumed, the value he attached to it. The district had previously belonged to the Saxon Earl Edwin, and the charter, for dispossessing him of his Yorkshire estates, and conferring them on Alan, was granted at the siege of York, in 1069. " 3 Richmond in Surrey was anciently Sheen and was renamed by Henry VII., on his building of a palace there after his own title of Earl of Richmond in Yorkshire. 1

Early History of the Richman family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Richman research. Another 82 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1630, 1771, 1795, 1802, 1825, 1837 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Richman History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Richman Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence in the eras before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate regularly changed the spellings of their names as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Richman have been found, including Richmond, Richmond, Richman and others.

Early Notables of the Richman family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Christopher Richmond, High Sheriff of Cumberland in 1630. Thomas Richmond (1771-1837), was an English miniature-painter, the son of Thomas Richmond, originally of Bawtry, and of an old Yorkshire family. The father was a 'groom of the stables' to the Duke of Gloucester, and afterwards the proprietor of the Coach and Horses at Kew, where the artist was born in 1771. Though the pose of some of his figures is in the...
Another 79 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Richman Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Richman Ranking

In the United States, the name Richman is the 5,435^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 4

Migration of the Richman family to Ireland

Some of the Richman family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 60 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Richman migration to the United States +

For many English families, the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. For such families, the shores of Ireland, Australia, and the New World beckoned. They left their homeland at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. Many arrived after the long voyage sick, starving, and without a penny. But even those were greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. Numerous English settlers who arrived in the United States and Canada at this time went on to make important contributions to the developing cultures of those countries. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Richman were among those contributors:

Richman Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Margaret Richman, who arrived in Maryland in 1660 5

Richman Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Eliza Richman, who arrived in Virginia in 1702 5
Hans Richman, aged 38, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1741 5
Hans Richman, who sailed to Philadelphia in 1741
Adam Richman, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1743 5
John Richman, who landed in North Carolina in 1748 5

Richman Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Henry Richman, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1803 5

Richman migration to Australia +

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

Richman Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Frances Richman, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Thomas Harrison" in 1839 6
Henry John Richman, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Thomas Harrison" in 1839 6
John Henry Richman, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Thomas Harrison" in 1839 6
Sophia Richman, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Thomas Harrison" in 1839 6

Contemporary Notables of the name Richman (post 1700) +

Peter Mark Richman (1927-2021), born Marvin Jack Richman, an American actor in films and on television who appeared in about 30 films and 130 television series from the 1950s before his retirement in 2011
Sheldon Richman, American political writer and academic
Keith Richman, American politician, Member of the California State Assembly (2000-2006)
Josh Richman (b. 1965), American actor and director, known for his work in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005), Natural Born Killers (1994) and Heathers (1988)
Jonathan Richman (b. 1951), American indie musician, founder of The Modern Lovers, an influential proto-punk band in 1970
Jeffrey Richman, American writer, producer and actor
Harry Richman (1895-1972), born Harold Reichman, American entertainer
Douglas Richman (b. 1943), American medical virologist
Charles Richman (1865-1940), American film actor who appeared in 66 films between 1914 and 1939
Charles Richman, American community affairs worker, Acting Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (2005-2006)
... (Another 25 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 3 of 3
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) THOMAS HARRISON 1839. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1839ThomasHarrison.htm