Richard

Etymology

Richard comes from the medieval personal name Richard, which was borrowed into English from Continental Germanic and French forms. The name is built from elements meaning “powerful” or “ruler” and “hard, brave,” so the literal sense is often given as “strong ruler” or “powerfully brave.” As a surname, it began as a patronymic: it identified someone as the son or descendant of a man named Richard.

History

The personal name Richard became very popular in medieval England, helped by the prestige of rulers and nobles who bore it. Surnames formed from Richard include Richardson, Richards, Rick, Ricks, and others, while Richard itself also survived as a hereditary surname. The surname is especially common in English-speaking countries today, including the United States.

Origin

Regions

Variant spellings

Fun fact

Many English surnames trace back to Richard through nicknames and pet forms too, not just the full name—giving rise to forms like Dickson and Dixon.

Related surnames