Ricketts

This is an English medieval surname, and the family name of Viscounts St Vincent. It is one which is usually derived from the pre 7th century Germanic and Anglo-Saxon personal name "Richard". This was composed of the elements "ric", meaning power, and "hard", brave and strong. As a personal name Richard was well known in pre Conquest England, and in later times after 1066 became identified with the struggle of the natives against the colonising Norman-French. Its popularity became widespread after the accession of King Richard 1st in 1189. He was closely identified, although probably wrongly, with the Anglo-Saxon movement. Rickett or the patronymic Ricketts, may also derive from the ancient personal name "Richer". This is again of Germanic origins with "ric" as before, and "heri or hari", meaning an army. It was introduced into England by the Normans as "Richier". Early examples of the recordings include Elizabeth Ricketts, who was christened at St. James' Clerkenwell, in the city of London in 1669. Interestingly a William Ricketts, also recorded seemingly incorrectly as Ricards, served at the conquest of Jamaica in 1665, and one of his sons founded the North American branch of the family. At the time of the War of Independence in 1776, family members served on both sides. The coat of arms has the blazon of erminois, on a chevron between three red roses, two swords in chevron proper their points crossing in saltire. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.