Origin and Changes Of The Riddle Surname

The following is a slightly edited extract from the book Some More Riddles Of North Carolina by Richard Riddle.

Ridlon (G.T. Ridlon's History of the Ancient Ryedales and Their Descendants in Normandy, Great Britain, Ireland, and America, From 860 to 1884) states that the surname Riddle appears on the pages of the Doomsday Book and in a variety of forms, such as Ridle, Ridel, and Ridell. We must look to Norway or Normandy for the origin of the name.

The name Riddle is a local type name (makes reference to a locality or territory) from an area in Scandinavia called Rugdal or Ryedale, the valley of rye. Other Riddle historians have postulated that as the name changed from Ryedale and Riddell to Riddle, as it is pronounced by the Scots, it has not lost any of the original meaning. A riddle was an instrument by which rye and other grains were winnowed and cleansed and the change to Ridler and Riddler denotes one who winnows grain with a riddle or sieve.

When the Riddles began lending their name to the land and estates they owned is not precisely known. However it is known that Walter de Ridale received his lands from David I, King of Scotland between 1124 and 1153 and these lands were called "Baronies of Riddell and Whitton." The family branches have followed the early custom of bestowing their names upon their lands whenever and wherever acquired. In Scotland there is a Cranstown-Riddell, Glen-Riddle, Mount-Riddell and Minto-Riddell.

In the United States we find Glen Riddle, Riddle's Banks, Riddle's Station, Riddleton, and Riddle's Crossroads. The surname used by the Riddells of Roxburghshire, Scotland was originally derived from a locale known as Ryedale and their coats-of-arms consists of three ears of rye and sheaves of grain. Nearly all branches of the Scottish families have spelled their name Riddell, however many old documents spell the name as Riddle. Many small family branches in Scotland and England who claim descent from the Ryedale spell their own name Riddle.

The migration of the original Norman family throughout the world has created over 60 different ways the name has been spelled. The following is a small selected list of examples:

READLAN, REDLAN, RHUDDLAN, RIDAL, RIDALE, RIDDALL, RIDDEL, RIDDELL, RIDDELLE, RIDDELS, RIDDLE, RIDDLETON, RIDDLEY, RIDEL, RIDELEIGH, RIDELL, RIDEY, RIDLAND, RIDLE, RIDLER, RIDLEY, RIDLON, RILLY, RUDDELL, RUDDLE, RUGDAL, RYDDLAND, RYDLEY, RYEDALE

Relationship:

My Mother is Betty Irene Riddle. The above picture is of my Grandfather, Alva Hart Riddle (1901-1981). He married Jannie Ethel Peachey. My Great Grandfather was Melvin Scott Riddle (1861-1947). He married Mary Edith Hart. My 2nd Great Grandfather was Wiley Riddle (1824-1902), he married Mila (Amila) Lawrence. My 3rd Great Grandfather was Stephen E Riddle (1775-1856), he married Mary Polly Quiett. My 4th Great Grandfather was Stephen Riddle (1730-1807), he married Elizabeth Douthit. My 5th Great Grandfather was Benjamin Riddle (1703-1750), he married Margaret Read.

Now some records indicate Benjamin Riddle (1703-1750) was from Maryland and that he was the son of John Riddle (1680-1745), who was married to Elizabeth Bowman. Other records do not show Benjamin was his son, nor is he mentioned in John Riddle's will. They only connection I find, is they both were from Maryland and born approximately at the same time.. Although there is a conflict of records I have included John Riddle as Benjamin's father, on the genealogy pages.

For more detailed information go to the genealogy link to your right.