Surname Ritchey - Meaning and Origin
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Ritchey: Unravelling My Celtic Roots Based On iGENEA DNA Test Results
Discovering my deep-rooted Scottish lineage through the iGENEA DNA test and tracing back the origin of my surname Ritchey was like travelling back in time. I found out that Ritchey is a surname tied with the historic Scottish Kingdom of Dalriada and carries a legacy filled with resilience, loyalty, and integrity. The DNA test further substantiated my Celtic roots unveiling an intriguing cultural and historical tapestry of my once elusive ancestry.
I. Ritchey
read moreRitchey: What does the surname Ritchey mean?
The surname Ritchey is of Scottish origin, derived from the personal name Richard. In Old German, Richard is a compound of "ric", meaning power, and "hard", meaning hardy or brave. So, the surname Ritchey can be interpreted as "powerful and brave". This name often belonged to rulers or military leaders during medieval times. The surname in the variant spelling forms ranging from Ritchie, Richey, Ritchey, to Ricke, among others, and was patronymic, carried forward from the father's first name. It was originally recorded in Scotland in the early 12th century. Additionally, it's common for surnames to be linked to geographical locations, so Ritchey could also potentially indicate families who lived in a place of the same or similar name. The distribution of this surname is quite dispersed around the world today, particularly in the United States, as a result of Scottish immigration.
Order DNA origin analysisRitchey: Where does the name Ritchey come from?
The last name RITCHEY is a very common and widespread last name. It is most common in the United States and Canada, although it can be found in other countries such as the UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. In the United States, the last name is most prevalent in the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, North Carolina, and Kentucky.
Due to the prevalence of RITCHEY in America, the origins of the last name are most likely from those countries. The earliest known instance of the surname RITCHEY can be traced to 1721 in Pennsylvania, USA when the surname was documented in tax records. Since then, the surname has been consistently documented in records of that area, giving a good indication of the name's prevalence in the region.
As time went on, the RITCHEY surname spread from the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, North Carolina, and Kentucky to other states such as West Virginia, California, New York, and Tennessee. The name has now become a very common name in all of these areas and even further onwards throughout the United States and Canada.
The surname can also be found in countries with a connection to early American settlers such as the United Kingdom and Ireland, as well as Australia and New Zealand. In all of these countries, multiple different branches of the same family can be easily tracked due to their usage of the same surname.
Variations of the surname Ritchey
The surname RITCHEY is of Scottish and Northern Irish origin, and there are a variety of variants, spellings, and surnames with the same origin.
The most common variants of the surname are Reichey and Rickey. Reichey is a variant spelling of the original form of Ritchey. These two spellings of the surname are most often found in Scotland. Rickey is a variant spelling of Ritchey, mostly found in Northern Ireland.
Other variant spellings found in Scotland include Richey, Richy, Rickie, Ricke. These spellings are found in Scotland and in some areas of northern England.
Variants of Ritchey found in Northern Ireland include Ritchie, and Rickie.
There are also a number of surnames with the same origin. These are Rech, Reche, Reich, Reiche, and Riech. These surnames are mostly found in Germany, especially in areas bordering the North Sea and the Baltic Sea.
The variations on the original spelling of Ritchey demonstrate the region-specific nature of language, with Scotland and Northern Ireland each maintaining their own version of the surname. The variations on the original name also demonstrate how surnames are passed down and varied over time.
Ultimately, the original form of the surname Ritchey is still present in the various forms and spellings, giving it a link to the past.
Famous people with the name Ritchey
- Tom Ritchey: Bicycle frame builder, innovator, and entrepreneur of the bicycle industry.
- Tom Ritchey Jr.: Professional BMX and mountain bike racer and son of Tom Ritchey.
- Omer Ritchey: Former NASCAR driver.
- Mandy Ritchey: American country music singer and songwriter.
- Thomas J. Ritchey: American geologist and paleontologist who worked extensively in China in the early 20th century.
- Roger Ritchey: Former United States Senator from Oklahoma.
- John Ritchey: Deckhand of the Broadway puppet show "Be a Good Little Widow" in 1918.
- Paige Ritchey: Professional mountain bike racer and daughter of Tom Ritchey.
- Eddie Ritchey: Retired NASCAR driver who competed in the early 1960s.
- Bob Ritchey: Former NASCAR driver who competed in 21 races in the late 1950s.