Richardson History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Richardson was brought to England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. It comes from the Old German name “Ricard,” meaning “powerful” and “brave.” 1

Early Origins of the Richardson family

The surname Richardson was first found in Cheshire in 1067 where they were descended from Hugh d’Avranche, Earl Lupus of Chester. His descendant, William Belwood, Lord of Malpas in Cheshire, had two sons, David and Richard. Richard’s grandson John was the first to bear the name Richardson.

Years later the Yorkshire Poll Tax records revealed William Richardson in 1381 and further north in Scotland, Thome filius Ricardi held a charter of the barony of Symundestone in Lanark c. 1315-1321. A few years later, Laurence filius Ricardi was a tenant of the Earl of Douglas in Louchurde in 1376. Murdac Richardesson, a Scottish merchant complained the English had sunk his vessel during a truce in 1359. 2

Richardson is “essentially a north of England name, extending across the border into Dumfriesshire, and also, but to a less extent, characteristic of most of the east coast counties as far south as Kent and Sussex. The counties of Cumberland, Westmoreland, Durham, Northumberland, and the North and East Ridings of Yorkshire contain the greatest number of the name.” 3