Show ContentsRickman History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Bavaria, Germany is the ancestral home of the Rickman family. The Rickman surname evolved as a local name for a family that lived in Bavaria, where the Rickman family achieved distinction for its contribution to the region's medieval society. This surname was a nickname surname, and derived from the German words, reich, which means rich, and mann, which means man. Thus, the bearer of this name was known for his material wealth, or perhaps because he behaved in a princely or regal manner.

Early Origins of the Rickman family

The surname Rickman was first found in Bavaria, where the name was anciently associated with the tribal conflicts of the area. They declared allegiances to many nobles and princes of early history, lending their influence in struggles for power and status within the region. They branched into many houses, and their contributions were sought by many leaders in their search for power. Chronicles first mention Hatnel Richman in 1380, and one Richmannus of Bremen in 1382.

Early History of the Rickman family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rickman research. Another 176 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1642, 1702, 1703, 1715, 1737, 1744, 1777, 1849, 1882 and 1903 are included under the topic Early Rickman History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rickman Spelling Variations

One can encounter great variation in the spelling of surnames: in early times, spelling in general, and thus the spelling of names was not yet standardized; and later, spellings would change with branching and movement of families. Variations of the name Rickman include Reichmann, Reichman, Reichmen, Richmann, Richman, Richmen, Reichmanner, Reichmaenner, Richmanner, Richmaenner, Rickman, Rickmen, Reychman, Reychmann and many more.

Early Notables of the Rickman family

Prominent among members of the name Rickman in this period include Theodor Reichmann (1849-1903), a German baritone from Rostock who joined the Vienna Opera in 1882...
Another 26 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Rickman Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rickman Ranking

In the United States, the name Rickman is the 3,819th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. [1]


United States Rickman migration to the United States +

Thousands of German settlers came to North America between the mid-17th and mid-20th centuries. The hardships of the long voyage were balanced by the opportunity to escape poverty and religious persecution. The descendents of these settlers still populate the states of Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. Many also live in Ontario and the prairie provinces of Canada. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Rickman or a variant listed above:

Rickman Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Elizabeth Rickman, aged 16, who arrived in Mobile, Ala in 1832 [2]
  • George Rickman, aged 2, who landed in Mobile, Ala in 1832 [2]
  • John Rickman, aged 10, who arrived in Mobile, Ala in 1832 [2]
  • Margaret Rickman, aged 7, who landed in Mobile, Ala in 1832 [2]
  • Mary Rickman, aged 4, who arrived in Mobile, Ala in 1832 [2]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Rickman Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Mesche Rickman, aged 24, who settled in America, in 1904
  • Caroline Rickman, aged 42, who landed in America from Dorking, England, in 1910
  • Arthur P.W. Rickman, aged 39, who landed in America from England, in 1912
  • Pat Rickman, aged 41, who landed in America, in 1913
  • Gladys Rickman, aged 21, who settled in America from Kingston, Jamaica, in 1920
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Canada Rickman migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Rickman Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century
  • Edmond Baird Rickman, aged 22, who arrived at Toronto, Canada, in 1923

New Zealand Rickman 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:

Rickman Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • George Rickman, aged 20, a labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Oliver Lang" in 1856

Contemporary Notables of the name Rickman (post 1700) +

  • Alan Sidney Patrick Rickman (1946-2016), British Tony award nominated, Emmy Award, BAFTA Award and Golden Globe Award winning stage and screen actor, probably best remembered for his role as the Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and as Severus Snape in the Harry Potter film series
  • Thomas "Tom" Rickman (1940-2018), American Academy Award nominated film director and screenwriter from Kentucky, best known for his work on Coal Miner's Daughter, Hooper, Tuesdays with Morrie and Truman
  • William Rickman (1731-1783), political leader of the American Revolution
  • Jolie Christine Rickman (1970-2005), American feminist, humanitarian, singer-songwriter and social activist
  • Thomas Rickman (1776-1841), English architect, born at Maidenhead, the eldest son of Joseph and Sarah Rickman
  • Thomas 'Clio' Rickman (1760-1834), English publisher and bookseller, son of John Rickman of The Cliffe, Lewes
  • John Rickman (1771-1840), English statistician and government official, born at Newburn, Northumberland; his father, the Rev. Thomas Rickman, descended from an old Hampshire family
  • John Rickman (1880-1951), English doctor of medicine, psychiatrist, and psychoanalyst

RMS Titanic
  • Mr. George Albert Rickman, aged 36, English Fireman/Stoker from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and survived the sinking escaping on life boat 10 [3]


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. 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)
  3. Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html


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