Recorded as Risom, Rissom, Risome, Riseam, Rysom, Rysome, and probably others, this is a rare locational surname. It originates from the hamlet of Rysome near the village of Patrington in East Yorkshire, and is said to mean the place of the 'hris' or brushwood. The place was recorded as "Rison" in the famous Domesday Book of 1066, become Eisum in 1285, and Rysome about 1500. The surname in its various forms has long been recorded in East Yorkshire from at least Elizabethan times. Examples of these early recordings include Cornelius Risom, the son of Roberti Risom being christened at Kirkella, on May 14th 1567, Edmundus, also given as being a son of Roberti, was christened at the same place on May 3rd 1584, although a year later we have Ellener Rysom given as being the daughter of Robert Rysom, and she was christened at Kirkella on November 29th 1585. This suggests that Robert may have married twice in view of the considerable gap between the first and second children, but that later with the daughter the cleric forgot how to spell his surname or perhaps there was a change of parson? Two centuries later we have the recording of Henry Riseam, in what may be the first in that spelling. He was a christening witness at Sculcoates on February 29th 1776, to his son also called Henry.