| ![Show Contents]() Ridgewell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England Early Origins of the Ridgewell familyThe surname Ridgewell was first found in Essex, where the name first appeared in the 13th century. Like many surnames, Ridgewell was taken from the place where its original bearer lived and presumably held some degree of power, in this case Ridgewell, in Essex. The name of the place is a compound of the words "ridge" and "well," though at the time "well" signified a natural spring more than what we think of as a well today. It seems therefore logical that the place was named for a nearby spring, presumably at the base of a ridge. Early History of the Ridgewell familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ridgewell research. Another 33 words (2 lines of text) covering the year 1281 is included under the topic Early Ridgewell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Ridgewell Spelling VariationsSound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Ridgewell family name include Ridgewell, Ridgwell, Redgewell, Redgwell and others. Early Notables of the Ridgewell familyOutstanding amongst the family at this time was
 Ridgewell migration to the United States | + |
For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, Canada, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Early immigrants bearing the Ridgewell surname or a spelling variation of the name include:
Ridgewell Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- William Ridgewell, who arrived in Portsmouth, Vermont in 1865
| Ridgewell migration to Australia | + |
Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include: Ridgewell Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century- George Ridgewell, English convict from Essex, who was transported aboard the "Arab" on February 22, 1834, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 1
| Contemporary Notables of the name Ridgewell (post 1700) | + |
- Anna Ridgewell, American medical researcher
- Caitlin Ridgewell, American published researcher at Boston University
- Kathleen Ann Ridgewell (b. 1965), birth name of Kathleen Ann Ridgewell-Williams, an American former soccer player who played as a forward, making three appearances for the United States women's national team
- Liam Matthew Ridgewell (b. 1984), English retired professional footballer from Bexleyheath, in the London Borough of Bexley who played 431 matches as a defender including 9 for the England National Team
- Lilian Ridgewell (1912-1997), British gymnast who competed in the women's artistic team all-around event at the 1936 Summer Olympics
- Thomas James Ridgewell (b. 1990), known online as TomSka, a British filmmaker, actor, content creator, and vlogger, his YouTube channel has over 7.98 million subscribers and his videos have garnered over 2.1 billion views
- Samantha Ridgewell (b. 1996), Canadian ice hockey goaltender from Outlook, Saskatchewan currently playing with the Toronto Six in the National Women's Hockey League (NWHL)
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.
|
Ridgewell migration to the United States 
Ridgewell migration to Australia 
