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Origins of the Richards surname

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What does the name Richards mean?

The Richards name is thought to be English and Welsh, being found in documents dating back to the 1300s. The origin of the Richards surname is patronymic, and refers to someone who is the son or descendant of a person named Richard. This given name became especially popular in the medieval era as a tribute to English King Richard 'the Lionheart'.

Alternative variations of the name Richards

Richards, Richard, Richart, Richert, Rychards

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Where do most Richardses live?

In 1921, most Richardses lived in South West.


Census records trace your ancestors through each generation, so you can follow where your relatives lived through each decade.

Interesting facts about Richardses

How common is your surname?

65th most common surname in the UK

We have 463,000 records for the Richards surname. The oldest one dates back to 1532.

Who were Richardses most likely to marry?

Joneses

&

Williamses

Our Marriage record sets tell us which families married Richardses.

What are the most common Richards first names?

  • John
  • William
  • Mary
  • Elizabeth

Our birth record sets tell us the names of Richards family members

Common jobs for Richardses

Men and women often performed different types of jobs, so these are displayed by gender to maintain their historical accuracy.

Common Female occupations for Richardses in 1921
Dressmaker

2,524

Domestic Servant

1,187

General Servant Domestic

1,110

Laundress

1,026

General Servant

977

Common Male occupations for Richardses in 1921
Coal Miner

2,754

Farmer

2,014

Coal Miner Hewer

1,464

Carpenter

1,393

Agricultural Labourer

1,322

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We found over 780,000 family trees with the Richards surname

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