Ridgeway History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsThe ancestry of the name Ridgeway dates from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It comes from when the family lived at the ridgeway a path along the back of a hill or ridge. Ridgeway is a topographic surname, which was given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a ridge. Early Origins of the Ridgeway familyThe surname Ridgeway was first found in Devon. "The extinct Baronet family, created Lords Londonderry in Ireland, traced their pedigree to 6. Edw. IV., when Stephen Ridgeway was one of the stewards of the city of Exeter. There are two places in Devonshire called Ridgeway, one near Honiton, and the other near Plymouth, but from which of these the family sprang is unknown. " 1 Torre Abbey in Torguay, Devon was held by the family for a period of time, but the history of owners in interesting: "John St. Leger, to whom the site was granted, sold it to Sir Hugh Pollard. Pollard's grandson conveyed it to Sir Edmund Seymour, and he sold it to Thomas Ridgway, ancestor of the Earls of Londonderry, the lord of the manor of Torre Mohun, which John Ridgway and John Petre had bought of Edward VI. By the Ridgways the whole property was held until 1653. Torre Abbey was then sold to John Stowell" 2 Early rolls revealed records in Cheshire: John del Ruggeway was listed in East Cheshire in 1355; and later Hugh Ridgeway was found in Cheshire in 1577. Katerine Ridgeway was buried at Prestbury Cheshire in 1560 and James Ridgway, of Offerton was listed in the Wills at Chester in 1594. There was one early record of the family in Yorkshire: Johannes de Rygeway, who was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. 3 Early History of the Ridgeway familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ridgeway research. Another 95 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1565, 1583, 1600, 1606 and 1631 are included under the topic Early Ridgeway History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Ridgeway Spelling VariationsSpelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Ridgeway have been found, including Ridgway, Ridgeway and others. Early Notables of the Ridgeway familyDistinguished members of the family include
Ridgeway RankingIn the United States, the name Ridgeway is the 2,956th most popular surname with an estimated 9,948 people with that name. 4 Migration of the Ridgeway family to IrelandSome of the Ridgeway family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Ridgeway, or a variant listed above: Ridgeway Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
Ridgeway Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: Ridgeway Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century
Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include: Ridgeway Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
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: Ridgeway Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
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.
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