Surname Richardson - Meaning and Origin
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Richardson: What does the surname Richardson mean?
The surname Richardson is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is a patronymic form of the personal name "Richard," which means "powerful" or "ruler." Patronymic surnames are based on the first name of a male ancestor, adding a suffix meaning "son of." Therefore, Richardson generally means "son of Richard." The name Richard was popular in England and across Europe due to its use by several kings, nobility, and popular figures in the medieval period, particularly after the Norman conquest in the 11th century. As surnames became standardized, many people who were sons of men named Richard took Richardson as their surname. Today, it is a common surname in many English-speaking countries.
Order DNA origin analysisRichardson: Where does the name Richardson come from?
The last name Richardson is most commonly found in the United States and the United Kingdom. It is the 241st most common surname in the United States according to the 2000 census. It is most concentrated in the South Eastern portion of the United States, particularly in the states of Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee. In the U.K., it is the 64th most common surname and is most commonly found in the Midlands and London. The surname has its roots in Old English, with the prefix “ric” referring to a ruler, and the suffix “hara” indicating a family or household. The history of Richardson as a last name is believed to go back at least 1,000 years.
The popularity of the Richardson surname continues today, often taking different forms depending on the country and culture. For example, in some Spanish-speaking countries, the equivalent is Richardso, while in much of Europe, the last name is spelled Riccardo or Riccardi. The original spelling of the surname, however, is still widely used as well, particularly in North America and the British Isles.
Variations of the surname Richardson
The surname Richardson has an English origin and can be spelt as Richardsen, Richensen, Richenson, Richerson, Richertson, Ritchard, Ritcherson, Richardesom, Richertson, Ritchardson, Ritcheson, Richarson, Richie, Riche, Richieson, Richer, Richenson, Richeson, Richarson, Richarson and Richingson.
The common root of the surname is 'Richard', which has a meaning of "strong ruler” or a "brave warrior". This surname was popular in England, Scotland and other parts of the British Isles in the 12th century.
Richardson can be further divided into two categories: the patronymic Richardsons, who are descended from the son of Richard, and the locative Richardons, who are descendants of people who lived near a place associated with Richard.
The Richardson surname is found most commonly in the United States, but also in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and other countries where it has its origins. It is also found in Scotland, Ireland, Wales, and other British Isles countries.
The variant spellings of Richardson may be found in different countries and regions. In Scandinavia for example, the variants of Richardson are written as Richensen, Richenson and Richerson. In France, the name may be written as Richarson, whereas in Germany it is spelled as Richardesom. And in Scotland, the spellings are usually written as Ritcherson and Ritcheson.
Some other surnames which may originate from the same root as Richardson are Richens, Richart, Richarts, Richardsen, Richie and Richieson.
Famous people with the name Richardson
- Miranda Richardson: British stage, film and television actress
- Dwayne Richardson: Jamaican American professional wrestler
- Christina Richardson: American Olympic track and field athlete
- Keith Richardson: English professional soccer player
- Damon Richardson: American professional basketball player
- Johnnie Richardson: American former NFL player
- Brian Richardson: British former Olympic athlete
- Emma Richardson: British politician
- Sherman Richardson: American jazz double bassist
- David Richardson: Australian Opera singer
- Hal Richardson: American Major League Baseball player
- Chris Richardson: American singer-songwriter
- Shaka Richardson: American former NFL player
- Karen Richardson: Australian Olympic swimmer
- Darren Richardson: British former professional soccer player
- Mandy Richardson: British actress
- Richard Richardson: British physicist
- Hilary Richardson: British former TV producer
- June Richardson: Australian actress
- Joseph Richardson: American Civil Rights Activist and pastor