Rickers History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland
Scotland

Rickers is an ancient name whose history on English soil dates back to the wave of emigration that followed the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. The name comes from the Old German name Ricard, meaning powerful and brave. 1

Early Origins of the Rickers family

The surname Rickers was first found in the Domesday Book of 1086 where the singular name Ricard was recorded. 2 Later in Norfolk, Richardus Basset was listed 1127-1134. 3

In Yorkshire, they held a family seat at Hatfield being ancient Lords of the manor of Ricard or Rycard. Over on the Isle of Wight in Yaverland, a small branch of the family was found at one time. "An ancient mansion of the Russells here, subsequently of the Richards family, and now a farmhouse, is a good specimen of the Elizabethan style." 4

Up in Scotland, the first record was of Thome filius Ricardi who had a charter of the barony of Symundestone in the sheriffdom of Lanark from Robert I, c. 1315-1321. Laurence filius Ricerdi was a tenant of the earl of Douglas in Louchurde in 1376 and John Ricardi held land in Aberdeen in 1451. 5

Early History of the Rickers family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rickers research. Another 131 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1379, 1507, 1515, 1520, 1521, 1522, 1523, 1527, 1564, 1630, 1641, 1643, 1654, 1668, 1669, 1673, 1692, 1694, 1705, 1709, 1721, 1728 and 1817 are included under the topic Early Rickers History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rickers Spelling Variations

Multitudes of spelling variations are a hallmark of Anglo Norman names. Most of these names evolved in the 11th and 12th century, in the time after the Normans introduced their own Norman French language into a country where Old and Middle English had no spelling rules and the languages of the court were French and Latin. To make matters worse, medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, so names frequently appeared differently in the various documents in which they were recorded. The name was spelled Richards, Richard, Ricard, Rycard and others.

Early Notables of the Rickers family

Distinguished members of the family include William Richards, Captain and Vice Admiral of Kent; Ralph Richards, rector of Helmdon, Northamptonshire from 1641 to 1668; and his son, William Richards (1643-1705), an English clergyman and author; and John Richards (died 1694), English-born, colonial military officer, businessman, politician, and magistrate in America, best known for his participation in the Salem witch trials in 1692.John Richards (1669-1709), was a British Major-General...
Another 68 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Rickers Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Rickers family to Ireland

Some of the Rickers family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 82 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rickers migration to the United States +

Because of this political and religious unrest within English society, many people decided to immigrate to the colonies. Families left for Ireland, North America, and Australia in enormous numbers, traveling at high cost in extremely inhospitable conditions. The New World in particular was a desirable destination, but the long voyage caused many to arrive sick and starving. Those who made it, though, were welcomed by opportunities far greater than they had known at home in England. Many of these families went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Rickers or a variant listed above:

Rickers Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Johan Heinrich Rickers, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1803 6
J Rickers, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 6

Rickers 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:

Rickers Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

William Rickers, aged 34, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Schiehallion" in 1872
Elizabeth Rickers, aged 33, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Schiehallion" in 1872
Elizabeth S. Rickers, aged 10, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Schiehallion" in 1872
William Rickers, aged 10, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Schiehallion" in 1872
Edward Rickers, aged 4, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Schiehallion" in 1872

Contemporary Notables of the name Rickers (post 1700) +

Paul Rickers (b. 1975), retired English professional football midfielder
James "Jamie" Rickers (b. 1974), British television presenter

The Rickers 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: Honore et amore
Motto Translation: With honour and love.

Citations +

Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
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)