Home / Scottish Clans - Histories, Tartans Crests and much more / Clan Riddell (Tartans, Crest) and The Story Behind

Clan Riddell (Tartans, Crest) and The Story Behind

By ScotsTee Shop

Riddell

Clan Crest: A demi greyhound, Proper

Clan Motto: I Hope To Share

Clan Badge: Rye

Clan Chief: Walter John Buchanan Riddell of that Ilk

⇨ View All Riddell Tartan Products

Riddell Clan History

The surname Riddell, also spelled Riddall, Riddel, and Riddle, derives from two sources: one personal and the other territorial.

The personal surname derives from the Ridels of Gascony, in south-west France, whereas the territorial surname, de Rydale, derives from a wapentake (an old English administrative meeting place) in Yorkshire's North Riding. The two spellings of the name appeared in Scotland almost simultaneously, and the only way to distinguish the families is through the spellings, which, at that early date in recorded history, is considered rather remarkable because names were rarely spelled consistently. The Ridels of Gascony never used the de (meaning 'of') prefix in front of their surname because it was personal; however, the de Rydales did because the name was derived from where they lived.

Gervasius Ridel is thought to be the first Ridel of Craneston (as in Cranstoun-Riddell in Midlothian), as he was mentioned in the Inquisitio of Earl David in regards to the lands of the church of Glasgow around 1124, and Gervasius was also likely to be a descendant of the Galfridus Ridel de Blaye of 1048. In Normandy, the surname was only a personal one at the time.

Gervasius was mentioned as a charter witness during the reigns of both Alexander I and David I.

Walter de Ridale, or Riddale, was the first of the Riddells of that ilk, and he received a charter from King David sometime around 1150 for the lands of Whitimes (a misspelling for Whitune), Eschetho (to which he transferred the name of his Yorkshire property), and Lilislive (now Lilliesleaf). Walter is also listed as a witness to many charters signed in Dryburgh, Holyrood, Glasgow, Newbattle, Cambuskenneth, Dunfermline, and other locations. Walter died without children, so his property was left to his brother Anschetil or Ansketil de Riddel through a will that was confirmed by Pope Adrian IV.

The barony remained in the hands of Anschetil's descendants for twenty-five generations, until 1819.

This family's arms depict a chevron between three ears of rye, indicating that they refer to the old version of their surname, "Rydale," making them 'allusive arms,' suggesting the family's name.

Many people with this name were recorded as landholders and charter witnesses in the 1200s and 1300s.

Captain Robert Riddell of Glenriddell (1755-1794), a friend and early patron of poet Robert Burns, was one of the more distinguished people of this name in later years.

Riddelstoun in Ayrshire was named after the surname in 1622.

Sir John Riddell of the Ilk died in 2010, and his son, Walter John Buchanan Riddell, became the new chief of the Clan Riddell.

Riddell Places & People

Coming Soon

Riddell Tartans

Riddell has no official tartan; this is the most appropriate tartan for the name:

Riddell Crest & Coats of Arms

Crest of the Riddell Clan

Crest Characteristics: A demi greyhound, Proper

Coats of Arms of Riddell:

A word about Coats of Arms:

A coat of arms is granted to an individual under Scottish heraldic law (with the exception of civic or corporate arms). A 'family coat of arms' does not exist. With the exceptions noted above, the arms depicted below are personal arms. Only the person who has been granted these weapons has the right to use them.