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Richy History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

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Richy History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
France
Ireland

The history of the Richy family name begins after the Norman Conquest of 1066. They 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. Richy 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 Richy family

The surname Richy 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 Richy family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Richy 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 Richy History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Richy Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. When the Normans became the ruling people of England in the 11th century, they introduced a new language into a society where the main languages of Old and later Middle English had no definite spelling rules. These languages were more often spoken than written, so they blended freely with one another. Contributing to this mixing of tongues was the fact that medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, ensuring that a person's name would appear differently in nearly every document in which it was recorded. The name has been spelled Rich, Riche, Richin, Riching, Richins, Richings and others.

Early Notables of the Richy 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 Richy Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Richy Ranking

In France, the name Richy is the 6,215^th most popular surname with an estimated 1,000 - 1,500 people with that name. 9

Migration of the Richy family to Ireland

Some of the Richy 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.

Richy migration to the United States +

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that plagued their homeland made the frontiers of the New World an attractive prospect. Thousands migrated, aboard cramped disease-ridden ships. They arrived sick, poor, and hungry, but were welcomed in many cases with far greater opportunity than at home in England. Many of these hardy settlers went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Among early immigrants bearing the name Richy or a variant listed above were:

Richy Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Louise Richy, aged 15, who arrived in New York, NY in 1851 10
Pauline Richy, aged 40, who arrived in New York, NY in 1851 10
Sidonia Richy, aged 7, who arrived in New York, NY in 1851 10

Richy migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Richy Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

James Richy, aged 50, who landed in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833
Molly Richy, aged 48, who landed in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833
Samuel Richy, aged 20, who landed in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833

Richy 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:

Richy Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Miss Mary A. Richy, (b. 1848), aged 18, British domestic servant travelling from London aboard the ship 'Mermaid' arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 5th January 1867 11

The Richy 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.

Citations +

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)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
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.
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
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)
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html