English
The surname 'Ritchie' is of English origin. It is a diminutive of the name 'Rich', derived from the nickname for a wealthy man (or in some cases an ironic name for a pauper), from the Middle English, Old Flemish word 'riche' meaning rich, wealthy (of Germanic origin, akin to the Germanic word 'ric' meaning power). It is also a habitation name from the lost village of Riche in Leicestershire, apparently so called from the Old English element 'ric' meaning stream, or in this case drainage channel. Some early forms of the surname, such as 'Alexander atte Riche' probably derive from minor places named with this element in southern counties, as for example 'Glynde Reach' in the county of Sussex. It was used in medieval times as a short form of 'Richard'. Public and Civil registry archive's confirm that the surname 'Ritchie' and or it's variant's, date as far back as the eighteenth century were a 'William Ritchie', is recorded as marring a 'Letitia Robertson', at St George's chapel, Hampton Square, London, England, in 1793. The exact period of settlement in North America has not been definitely determined but data extracted from Historical archive's confirm that one of the first forefathers to bring this name to America was a certain 'Alexander Ritchie', from York, England, a miller by trade, He emigrated to North America in 1774, aged twenty-one, sailing from the Port of London aboard the ship named the 'Letitia' on the seventh of February, arriving in Maryland on the fourteenth of the same, where he served as an indentured servant. Today, 'Ritchie' is the 'One thousand and Twelfth' most common surname in North America.