Richment History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The vast movement of people that followed the Norman Conquest of England of 1066 brought the Richment family name to the British Isles. They lived in Yorkshire, at Richmond. This local name indicated that its original bearer hailed from Richmond, a location which takes its name from the Norman personal name Richard, meaning brave and strong. Richmond (Richemont) was originally a place in the arrondissement of Neufchatel in Normandy. 1

Not withstanding the above, we did find this interesting passage which we include in its entirety: "Alain le Roux, son of Eudes Count of Brittany, 'in his very youth not a little famous for his valour,' led the division comprising the men of Brittany and Maine, that formed the left wing of the Norman army at Hastings, and received three entire wapentakes in North Yorkshire, which became the great Honour of Richmond, the name given by the new possessor in the new language to the old English soke of Gilling." 2 Essentially this passage confirms the entry of the family into England with the Conqueror. Furthermore, the author goes on to explain that "Alain Fergant, Alain le Roux, and Alain le Noir " all arrived with the Conqueror and all were granted lands. Alain le Roux and Alain le Noir were brothers, the sons of Eudes of Brittany, Count of Penthievre. Alain le Roux's change to the name Richmond cleared up the confusion.

Early Origins of the Richment family

The surname Richment was first found in the North Riding of Yorkshire at Richmond, a borough, market-town, and parish. "The town and castle seem to have been founded in the reign of William the Conqueror, by his nephew Alan Rufus, upon whom he bestowed the whole district, with the title of Earl, and who gave the place the name of 'Rich Mount,' indicating, it is presumed, the value he attached to it. The district had previously belonged to the Saxon Earl Edwin, and the charter, for dispossessing him of his Yorkshire estates, and conferring them on Alan, was granted at the siege of York, in 1069. " 3 Richmond in Surrey was anciently Sheen and was renamed by Henry VII., on his building of a palace there after his own title of Earl of Richmond in Yorkshire. 1

Early History of the Richment family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Richment research. Another 82 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1630, 1771, 1795, 1802, 1825, 1837 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Richment History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Richment Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Richmond, Richmond, Richman and others.

Early Notables of the Richment family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Christopher Richmond, High Sheriff of Cumberland in 1630. Thomas Richmond (1771-1837), was an English miniature-painter, the son of Thomas Richmond, originally of Bawtry, and of an old Yorkshire family. The father was a 'groom of the stables' to the Duke of Gloucester, and afterwards the proprietor of the Coach and Horses at Kew, where the artist was born in 1771. Though the pose of some of his figures is in the...
Another 79 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Richment Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Richment family to Ireland

Some of the Richment family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 60 words (4 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 Richment family

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Richment or a variant listed above: John Richmond settled in Virginia in 1654 with Eleanor his wife; Adam, Henry, Jacob and William Richmond all arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1870.

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 3 of 3
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.