Surname Ridsdale - Meaning and Origin
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Ridsdale: What does the surname Ridsdale mean?
The last name Ridsdale is an English surname. It is derived from the Old English pre 7th Century words "hryd-sealh" meaning a clearing of the wood. It is thought the name denotes someone who lived by a clearing or simply a one who worked making clearings in woodland.
Being an English name, it would have been first seen in about the 12th century. It is known to have been found mainly in Yorkshire at that time but would probably have originated in the place called Ridsdale, near Otley in North Yorkshire. This was a small settlement whose name meant 'a valley with a clearing'.
The first recorded spelling of the surname was that of Wirig ter Rid, during the reign of King Richard I (1189 - 1199). He was recorded in the 'Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire', in 1193.
In modern times, the surname Ridsdale is still common in the northern parts of England, especially in Yorkshire. It is also found in small measure in places such as the United States and Australia, where it is thought to have been introduced by immigrants from the British Isles in recent decades.
Overall, the surname Ridsdale indicates a person with roots in a northern English valley with a clearing, availability of woodland and open to the change of forest to farmlands.
Order DNA origin analysisRidsdale: Where does the name Ridsdale come from?
The surname Ridsdale is an English and Scottish patronymic surname derived from the middle name of an ancestor. It is believed that the name originated from lands near the river Ridd in Devon, hence the name "Ridsdale". It is most commonly found in the United Kingdom, where it is quite popular, with the highest concentration being in the Yorkshire area in England.
In addition to the UK, the last name Ridsdale is also common in Australia, Canada and the United States. In the US, it is found mainly in the New England states, such as Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Likewise, in Canada, it is a frequent name in Nova Scotia and British Columbia. In Australia, the name is most commonly found in the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales and Victoria.
Although the frequency of the surname Ridsdale may vary from country to country, it is still a common last name across the English-speaking world.
Variations of the surname Ridsdale
The surname Ridsdale is of English origin and is derived from the location of a rural village in Northumberland known as Ridsdale. Variants of the surname Ridsdale include Riddlesdale, Ridlesdale, Riddsdale, Riddesdale, Riddedale, and Rydsdale.
Spellings of the surname Ridsdale may also include Rydesville, Ridzdale, Rydsdie, Rydsydall, and Ridlesdale. Other related surnames of the same origin are Redesdale, Ritzdale, Reddishall, and Rydall.
The family name Ridsdale is believed to have derived from the Old English words "hridd" and "dael" which essentially translates to a valley with a thicket or brushwood. The family can trace its origins back to the township of Ridsdall, located in East Anglia of England.
The name Ridsdale has also been recorded in many ancient documents. These include the baptism records of Rachel, daughter of the Ridsdale family, in the year of 1618, and the birth record of Jennet, daughter of Robert Ridsdale, in the year of 1623 in London, England.
Variations of Ridsdale have been spelled differently in various records throughout the years. This is attributed to the inaccuracies of spellings during the time period in England as well as the local language dialects.
Famous people with the name Ridsdale
- Brett Ridsdale: Soccer player
- Audrey Ridsdale: British actress
- Gary Ridsdale: Actor, writer and director
- Reg Ridsdale: Former professional football player and manager
- David Ridsdale: Broadcaster and journalist
- Charles Ridsdale: British politician
- Michael Ridsdale: British neurosurgeon
- Olivia Ridsdale: English actress
- Alan Ridsdale: Record producer
- Joseph Ridsdale: Scotland rugby player