Rychards History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland
Scotland

Rychards is an ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name Rychards comes from the Old German name Ricard, meaning powerful and brave. 1

Early Origins of the Rychards family

The surname Rychards 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 Rychards family

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

Rychards Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names tend to be marked by an enormous number of spelling variations. This is largely due to the fact that Old and Middle English lacked any spelling rules when Norman French was introduced in the 11th century. The languages of the English courts at that time were French and Latin. These various languages mixed quite freely in the evolving social milieu. The final element of this mix is that medieval scribes spelled words according to their sounds rather than any definite rules, so a name was often spelled in as many different ways as the number of documents it appeared in. The name was spelled Richards, Richard, Ricard, Rycard and others.

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

Migration of the Rychards family to Ireland

Some of the Rychards 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.

Migration of the Rychards family

Because of the political and religious discontent in England, families began to migrate abroad in enormous numbers. Faced with persecution and starvation at home, the open frontiers and generally less oppressive social environment of the New World seemed tantalizing indeed to many English people. The trip was difficult, and not all made it unscathed, but many of those who did get to Canada and the United States made important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers with Rychards name or one of its variants: Thomas Richards Jr., who arrived in Nantasket, MA in 1630, aboard the "Mary and John"; William Richards who arrived in Virginia in 1635; Robert Richards, who arrived in Barbados in 1634.

The Rychards 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)