Topics

• Variants
• Origin of the surname
• Frequency of the name
• Data
• DNA project
• Links
• Contact Details

Variants

Ricket(t)s is a name well-known in the south and west of England. Ricket(t) is found all along the east coast, north of London, in Essex, Norfolk and Lincolnshire; while Reckitt or Wreggitt only appear in Yorkshire. All three seem to be completely different surnames, as is Raggett. Many variants have been found over the years but the ones still in use today are: Reckitt, Rickets, Rickett, Ricketts, Rickitt, Wreckitt, Wreggitt.

Origin of the surname

Some surname books suggest the name derives from the French 'Requette' or 'Ricard' but no evidence of this has yet been found. Ricketts is first spotted in North Nibley, Gloucestershire in the early 1500's. It then spreads throughout that county before appearing all over Wessex c early 1600's - the largest contingent are in Dorset, then Somerset and Hampshire. The east coast Ricket(t) shows up somewhat later.

Frequency of the name

These names are still prevalent today and are especially so in Gloucestershire and Dorset, although they have now also spread into the Midlands and London in great numbers. This is a very large study, numbering well over 15,000 instances of the name. Two large Ricketts lines spent almost 200 years in India serving the Raj and today the name is found in all the old British colonies worldwide - the largest groupings being in the US and Australia

Data

A large quantity of data has been collected and this is continually being added to by correspondents throughout the world. Copies of the indexes from the GRO consisting of births, marriages and deaths as well as adoptions, consular and military records are held. Will extracts are still being gathered. There is data from many other sources such as the IGI, census returns, newspapers and photographs. As this study is being conducted by just one person progress is fairly slow but steady. Because it was started before the advent of computers details are held in card files so enquirers must be patient while waiting for a response.

DNA project

This has just begun but we hope for great breakthroughs. For details please contact the co-administrator at ricketts@one-name.org, or the administrator at hinckleyk@comcast.net

Links

http://www.familytreedna.com/group-join.aspx?Group=Ricketts

http://www.familytreedna.com/public/Ricketts/default.aspx

Contact details

For further information, contact:

Mrs Sarah A Dyson
Flat 12,
Water Lane House,
Water Lane,
Richmond,
Surrey
TW9 1TJ
UNITED KINGDOM
E-mail:

This page last updated 13 January 2012.

This page has been viewed 1637 times.

Profiles of other one-name studies registered with the Guild may be found here.