Contents [hide]

Ritchie History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Suggested Reading Citations

Ritchie History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

The illustrious name Ritchie is derived from the name of an ancestor as in 'the son of Richard' and in early records was seen as both a surname and a forename. 1 "In the 16th century, the form was commonly Richie." 2

Early Origins of the Ritchie family

The surname Ritchie was first found in Perthshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Pheairt.) In some cases, the name was derived from MacRitchie.

"Michael Rechy in Inverness in the fourteenth century. Duncan Richie was a messenger in Perth, 1505, and John Riche witnessed an instrument of sasine in Brechin in the same year. Duncan Riche was the king's sheriff of Inverness in 1512, and there is mention of the lands of Robert Reche in Glasgow, 1550." 3

The MacRitchie variant is typically "a Highland border name," 3 "Robert McRichie or Makryche 'of Dalmunzie' and 'in Glenshee' appears in 1571-1583-1584-1589, and his son Duncan McCreiche in Glenshee in 1594. This Duncan is also found in record as Duncan Mcintosche alias McCreitche of Dalmungy in 1584, and in the Clan Chattan Rand of 1595 he is recorded as Duncan Mcryche of Dulmonaye. The Macritchies are really Macintoshes descended from a Richard Macintosh, and some Macritchies have been connected with the parishes of Clunie and Caputh in Perthshire since 1683." 3

Early History of the Ritchie family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ritchie research. Another 201 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1474, 1509, 1520, 1538, 1574, 1577, 1586, 1609, 1620, 1647, 1682, 1765, 1781, 1782, 1788, 1800, 1806, 1808, 1810, 1811, 1813, 1817, 1818, 1819, 1820, 1829, 1830, 1831, 1838, 1846, 1848, 1851, 1853, 1854, 1855, 1861, 1865, 1873, 1883, 1890 and 1892 are included under the topic Early Ritchie History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ritchie Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: MacRitchie, Ritchie, MacRichie and others.

Early Notables of the Ritchie family

Notable amongst the Clan at this time was

Joseph Ritchie (1788?-1819), African traveller, born at Otley in Yorkshire about 1788, was son of a medical practitioner in the town. Following his father's profession, he became hospital surgeon at Y...
Leitch Ritchie (1800?-1865), Scottish novelist, is said to have been born at Greenock in 1800. He was at first an apprentice in a banking office, but at an early age proceeded to London with letters o...
William Ritchie (1781-1831), was on one of the founders of the 'Scotsman' newspaper, was born in 1781 at the village of Lundin Mill, Fifeshire, where his father had a flax-dressing business. At the ag...

Ritchie World Ranking

In the United States, the name Ritchie is the 1,318^th most popular surname with an estimated 22,383 people with that name. 4 However, in Canada, the name Ritchie is ranked the 520^th most popular surname with an estimated 9,392 people with that name. 5 And in Australia, the name Ritchie is the 399^th popular surname with an estimated 9,304 people with that name. 6 New Zealand ranks Ritchie as 254^th with 2,385 people. 7 The United Kingdom ranks Ritchie as 415^th with 15,701 people. 8

Migration of the Ritchie family to Ireland

Some of the Ritchie family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 57 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ritchie migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Ritchie Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Alexander Ritchie, who arrived in New Jersey in 1685 9
James Ritchie, who landed in New Jersey in 1685 9

Ritchie Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Alexander and Sarah Ritchie, who arrived in New Hampshire in 1736
Robert Ritchie, who arrived in Boston in 1758
Peter Ritchie, who settled in Philadelphia in 1765
Archibald Ritchie, who landed in Virginia in 1770 9
Craig Ritchie, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1772 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Ritchie Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Robert Ritchie, who landed in Washington County, Pennsylvania in 1802 9
Eliz Ritchie, who arrived in New York, NY in 1811 9
Sally Ritchie, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1812 9
Jane Ritchie, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1812 9
Nelly Ritchie, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1812 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Ritchie migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Ritchie Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Mr. Andrew George Ritchie Sr., U.E. (b. 1760) born in Boston, Massachusetts, USA from Massachusetts, USA who settled in Annapolis County, Nova Scotia c. 1784 he served in the Loyal American Association, married to Elizabeth Card having 7 children, he died in 1828 10
Mr. Andrew Stirling Ritchie U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1784 10
Mr. James Ritchie U.E. who settled in Saint John, New Brunswick c. 1784 10
Mr. John Ritchie U.E. who settled in Ernest Town [Ernestown], Lennox & Addington, Ontario c. 1786 10

Ritchie Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

John Ritchie, aged 47, a blacksmith, who arrived in Quebec aboard the ship "Atlas" in 1815
Janet Ritchie, aged 42, who arrived in Quebec aboard the ship "Atlas" in 1815
John Ritchie, aged 21, who arrived in Quebec aboard the ship "Atlas" in 1815
Janet Ritchie, aged 19, who arrived in Quebec aboard the ship "Atlas" in 1815
Marion Ritchie, aged 17, who arrived in Quebec aboard the ship "Atlas" in 1815
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Ritchie migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Ritchie Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. John Ritchie, English convict who was convicted in London, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Camden" on 21st September 1832, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 11
Mr. Alexander Ritchie, British Convict who was convicted in Inverary, Scotland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Asia" on 5th November 1835, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land)1836 12
Miss Lilias Ritchie, Scottish convict who was convicted in Edinburgh, Scotland for 10 years, transported aboard the "Emma Eugenia" on 22nd January 1846, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 13
John Ritchie, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Caspar" in 1849 14
J. Ritchie, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Indian" in 1849 15
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Ritchie 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:

Ritchie Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

James Ritchie, aged 40, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Mariner" in 1849
Miss Ann Ritchie, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Three Bells" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 13th July 1858 16
A.J. Ritchie, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Three Bells" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 13th July 1858 16
Miss Matilda Ritchie, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Jura" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 23rd September 1858 17
Mr. Ritchie, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Lord Ashley" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 14th October 1858 17
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Ritchie (post 1700) +

David F. "Dave" Ritchie (1938-2024), American football coach in college football, the Canadian Football League (CFL), the Italian Football League (IFL), and the Swiss National League, best known as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach from 1999 to 2004, a three-time Grey Cup champion
Jay Seay Ritchie (1935-2016), American right-handed Major League Baseball pitcher who played from 1964 to 1968
Jean Ritchie (1922-2015), American folk music singer, songwriter
Brigadier-General William Ludlow Ritchie (1902-1980), American Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief of Naval Forces, Eastern Atlantic & Mediterranean (1948-1949) 18
Dennis MacAlistair Ritchie (1941-2011), American computer scientist awarded the Turing Award in 1983 and the National Medal of Technology for 1998
Michael Brunswick Ritchie (1938-2001), American film director
Edward Samuel Ritchie (1814-1895), American inventor and physicist
Brigadier General Richard Stephen Ritchie (b. 1942), American pilot ace of the Vietnam War and recipient of the Air Force Cross, the second highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Air Force 19
Alexander Hay Ritchie (1822-1895), Scottish-born, American engraver and painter
C. S. Ritchie, American politician, Mayor of Wichita, Kansas, 1947-48 20
... (Another 51 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Ritchie family +

HMS Hood

Mr. Thomas B Ritchie (b. 1919), Scottish Electrical Artificer 4th Class serving for the Royal Navy from Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 21
Mr. James S Ritchie (b. 1917), English Petty Officer Telegraphist serving for the Royal Navy from Hartlepool, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 21

HMS Royal Oak

George L. Ritchie, British Surgeon Commander with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he survived the sinking 22
Robert Crook Ritchie (1914-1939), British Seaman with the Royal Navy Reserve aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 22

North Sea Flood

Robert J. H. Ritchie, British traveler aboard the ferry "Princess Victoria" killed in the North Sea Flood, a major storm surge in 1953

RMS Lusitania

Mr. William Joss Ritchie, Canadian 2nd Class passenger from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 23

St. Francis Dam

Mr. Edward James Ritchie, American resident in Santa Clarita killed when the St. Francis Dam failed and flooded the area in 1928

The Ritchie 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: Virtutue acquiritur honos
Motto Translation: Honour is aquired by virtue.

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. 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)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
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)
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 2nd December 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/camden
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 28th January 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1835
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 4th April 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/emma-eugenia
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The CASPAR 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Caspar.htm
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The INDIAN 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Indian.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2014, March 26) William Ritchie. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Ritchie/William_Ludlow/USA.html
Richard Ritchie. (Retrieved 2010, September 27) Richard Ritchie. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._Stephen_Ritchie
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 1) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/