Riding

Riding
This long-established surname is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and is a variant of the more familiar Reading, itself either a topographical name from residence in a clearing, from the Olde English pre 7th Century "ryding", clearing, or a locational name from the parish and town of Reading in Berkshire. Recorded as "Readingum" in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, dated 872, and as "Reddinges" in the Domesday Book of 1086, the place was so called from the Olde English "Readingas", the people of Read(a), a byname formed from "read", red, given to one with auburn hair, or a ruddy complexion. Topographical surnames were among the earliest created, since both natural and man-made features in the landscape provided obvious and convenient means of identification in the small communities of the Middle Ages, and locational names were chiefly given as a means of identification to those who left their birthplace to settle elsewhere. Early examples of the surname include: Richard del Ryding (Yorkshire, 1277), and Henry de Reding, rector of Matlask, Norfolk (1305). An early settler in the New World was James Redding, aged 19 yrs., who embarked from London on the ship "Bonaventure", bound for Virginia in January 1634, and a notable namebearer was the journalist and bookmaker, Cyrus Redding (1785 - 1870). The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Grifin del Ruding, which was dated 1246, witness in the "Assize Court Rolls of Lancashire", during the reign of King Henry 111, known as "The Frenchman", 1216 - 1272. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

Surnames reference. 2013.

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  • Riding — Rid ing, a. 1. Employed to travel; traveling; as, a riding clerk. One riding apparitor. Ayliffe. [1913 Webster] 2. Used for riding on; as, a riding horse. [1913 Webster] 3. Used for riding, or when riding; devoted to riding; as, a riding whip; a… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • riding — riding1 [rīd′iŋ] adj. 1. that rides 2. used in or for riding or traveling [a riding costume, riding horses ] ☆ 3. designed to be operated by a rider [a riding mower] n. the act of a person or thing that rides riding2 [rīd′iŋ] n …   English World dictionary

  • RIDING (L.) — RIDING LAURA (1901 1991) Les histoires littéraires ne citent généralement le nom de Laura Riding (née à New York) qu’en compagnie de ceux de John Crowe Ransom, Robert Pen Warren et Allen Tate dont elle serait l’indispensable complément féminin… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Riding — steht für East Riding of Yorkshire, Gebietskörperschaft in England West Riding of Yorkshire, Verwaltungsgebiet in England North Riding of Yorkshire, Verwaltungsgebiet in England South Riding (Virginia), Verwaltungsgebiet in den USA Siehe auch… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Riding — is a homonym of two distinct English words:From Old English *þriðing: * Riding (country subdivision), an administrative division of a county, or similar district * Riding association, Canadian political party organization at the riding levelFrom… …   Wikipedia

  • riding — Ⅰ. riding [1] ► NOUN 1) the sport or activity of riding horses. 2) a path for horse riding. Ⅱ. riding [2] ► NOUN 1) (usu. the East/North/West Riding …   English terms dictionary

  • Riding —   [ raɪdɪȖ], Laura, eigentlich L. Riding Jackson [ dʒæksn], amerikanische Schriftstellerin, * New York 16. 1. 1901, ✝ Sebastian (Fla.) 2. 9. 1991; gehörte in den frühen 20er Jahren der Dichtergruppe der Fugitives an; lebte 1926 39 in England und… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Riding — Rid ing, n. 1. The act or state of one who rides. [1913 Webster] 2. A festival procession. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] When there any riding was in Cheap. Chaucer. [1913 Webster] 3. Same as {Ride}, n., 3. Sir P. Sidney. [1913 Webster] 4. A district in… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Riding — Rid ing (r[imac]d [i^]ng), n. [For thriding, Icel. [thorn]ri[eth]jungr the third part, fr. [thorn]ri[eth]i third, akin to E. third. See {Third}.] One of the three jurisdictions into which the county of York, in England, is divided; formerly under …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • riding — one of the three districts into which Yorkshire was divided, 1295, from late O.E. *þriðing, a relic of Viking rule, from O.N. ðriðjungr third part, from ðriði third (see THIRD (Cf. third)). The initial consonant merged with final consonant of… …   Etymology dictionary

  • riding — ri|ding [ raıdıŋ ] noun uncount the activity or sport of riding a horse or other animal: go horseback riding: They go horseback riding nearly every day. a. only before noun used for riding horses: riding boots/breeches a riding school/stables …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

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