| ![Show Contents]() Ritch History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Ritch is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Ritch 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. Ritch 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 Ritch familyThe surname Ritch 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 Ritch familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ritch 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 Ritch History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Ritch Spelling VariationsEndless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Rich, Riche, Richin, Riching, Richins, Richings and others. Early Notables of the Ritch familyOutstanding 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 Ritch Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Ritch RankingIn the United States, the name Ritch is the 11,792nd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 9  Migration of the Ritch family to Ireland
Some of the Ritch 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.
| Ritch migration to the United States | + |
To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Ritch or a variant listed above:
Ritch Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- David Ritch, who landed in Virginia in 1656 10
Ritch Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Joseph Ritch, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1850 10
| Ritch migration to Canada | + |
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: Ritch Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century- Andrew Ritch, aged 38, a mariner, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1838 aboard the barque "Rebecca" from Liverpool, England
- Janet Ritch, aged 32, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1838 aboard the barque "Rebecca" from Liverpool, England
- Ann Ritch, aged 4, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1838 aboard the barque "Rebecca" from Liverpool, England
- Peter Ritch, aged 10 months, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1838 aboard the barque "Rebecca" from Liverpool, England
| Ritch 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: Ritch Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century- Andrew Ritch, aged 26, a labourer, who arrived in Hawkes Bay aboard the ship "Clarence" in 1875
| Contemporary Notables of the name Ritch (post 1700) | + |
- Nelson Ritch Jessup, American Republican politician, Postmaster at Stamford, Connecticut, 1908-13 11
- Ritch Brinkley (1944-2015), American character actor best known for playing William in Beauty and the Beast
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.
- 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.
- "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)
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 9) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
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Ritch migration to the United States 
Ritch migration to Canada 
Ritch migration to New Zealand 
England
Ireland
