Recorded in many forms including Riddel, Riddell, Riddal, (English & Scottish), Ridel and Ridell (French) Riedel, Riedle, and Rydel (German & Scandanavian), his interesting surname has two distinct possible origins, each with its own history and derivation. Firstly ot may be of German and Anglo-Saxon origin, and a locational name from any of the various places called Rydal (Westmorland); Ryedale, in the North Riding of Yorkshire; Riddell, south west of Lilliesleaf in Roxburghshire; and the ancient seat of Ryedale in Kirkcudbrightshire. Locational names were originally given to local landowners, and the lord of the manor, and especially as a means of identification to those who left their birthplace to settle elsewhere. The second possibility is that Riddall derives from the Old German personal name Rudolf or the later French Ridel, the later meaning describing a stockily-built man. Ridel Papillun was noted in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1163, whilst early examples of the surname include: Goisfridus Ridel in the Domesday Book of 1086 for Cheshire; Alan de Ridale of Yorkshire, in 1160; and William Rydale of Essex, in 1338. Sara Riddall, an early settler in America, was recorded on a "List of the Living in Virginia" on Februray 16th 1623. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Galfridus Ridel. This was dated 1048, in "Ancient Records of Scotland", during the reign of MacBeth, known as "The Usurper", 1040 - 1057. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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