Surname Rickitt - Meaning and Origin

Rickitt: What does the surname Rickitt mean?

The last name Rickitt is of ancient British origin dating back to the period following the Norman Conquest in 1066. Unlike many surnames that derive from specific occupations or geographical locations, Rickitt is believed to come from a personal name. The name was originally found in the form "Ricard" which is of Old German origin and means "brave power".

In later years, it evolved through variations such as "Ricket" and "Rickett" to its modern form Rickitt. The name was often given as a baptismal name 'the son of Richard' before it became a hereditary surname. As was the tradition in the Middle Ages, when parents needed to distinguish between offspring, they often added diminutives to given names. Rickitt could therefore be an endearing version of the name Richard.

It's also worth noting that this name can be found in various forms due to regional variations and phonetic spellings. Similar surnames include Rickert, Ryckert, and Ricketts. Today, anyone carrying this surname likely has familial ties to ancestors from England and Wales.

Rickitt: Where does the name Rickitt come from?

The last name Rickitt is most commonly found in the United Kingdom, particularly in the northern England region including Lancashire and Yorkshire. It is also an mixed Irish-English name, but there are other countries in which it is found too.

The name Rickitt can be found in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and several other countries. The spelling can vary depending on the location, with the more common variations being Richitt, Rickit and Rickeit.

In the UK, surname distribution maps show that the last name Rickitt is predominant in the northwest of England and is rarely found in the east and south of the country. It is also normally found in cities such as Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, York, and the surrounding areas. It is likely that the name originated in these places and was carried outwards to more remote locations by a series of migrations.

Generally speaking, all areas that have a significant amount of people with the last name Rickitt tend to be in the northwest of England, especially in Lancashire and Yorkshire. The name can also be found in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Due to migrations, the spelling is often slightly different in other countries.

Variations of the surname Rickitt

The Rickitt surname is of Anglo-Saxon origin and has a variety of alternative spellings and variants, as well as associated surnames. These include Ryecott, Ritchett, Ricot, Richett, Ritchey, Ritsche, Ritschey, Rast, Rickard, Rickeard, Rickeards, Ritson, Ryall, Rigby, Reocke, Riskett, and Ryskitt. Each of these variants may have derived from one of several sources, meaning descent from a place, such as Rickitt Hill in Oldham, Lancashire, or from an occupation, such as riker, an old English word for someone who cut logs into stakes and fences.

Riker is thought to have derived from the Old Norse word ricca, through the Old French rickle, to become the modern-day Rickitt. Rickitt is rarely seen as a given name, but is more commonly found as a surname.

Another possible origin of the Rickitt surname is as an alternate spelling of Richet, which was a French nickname for someone with red hair. A similar nickname in German is Ritschel or Ritsel, which both trace back to the German word ritschen, meaning to snap or crackle, and which could have held the same connotations of an individual’s hair color.

In addition, the Rickitt surname can be seen in variants of Richard, the French form of the medieval Germanic name, with its root rik or ric, meaning power or rule. Similarly, the Anglo-Saxon Ricard is derived from rīc-weard, meaning guard or leader of power.

Various spellings of the Rickitt surname can be seen in some historical records, such as parchments of the 13th century, with sometimes a confused mix of double surnames, such as Richard Ricot, or Ricard Ryecott, two examples that indicate a single ancestor of the Rickitt surname.

Famous people with the name Rickitt

• Adam Rickitt: British singer, actor, and reality television star
• Nigel Rickitt: British film producer and former Executive Director of Working Title films
• Richard Rickitt: British former child actor best known for his role in the 1993 film ‘Lawnmower Man 2’
• John Rhys-Rickitt: British actor and stand-up comedian who has starred in television series such as ‘My Family’ and ‘Gavin and Stacey’
• Laura Rickitt: British actress, singer, and former member of the pop group ‘S Club Juniors’
• Nick Rickitt: British photographer and filmmaker who has worked on various feature films and documentaries
• Ryan Rickitt: British actor and model
• Adam Rickitt: Australian professional golfer
• Jack Rickitt: British actor and television presenter
• Chloe Rickitt: British actress, best known for her role in the 2018 film ‘The Little Stranger’

Other surnames

RickieRickingRickit