Ratcliffe Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Ratcliffe last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Ratcliffe last name
Meaning of the Ratcliffe last name: red cliff. Ratcliffe is an English surname from places called Radcliffe or Ratcliffe, meaning "red cliff", from Old English read and clif. Lancashire, Nottinghamshire and the old Stepney district of London all had such places. The last name and its twin Radcliffe are common across northern England.
Arms associated with the Ratcliffe name
In English heraldry, coats of arms associated with the Ratcliffe name are described in a blazon, a short formal text.
Get your full Ratcliffe family history
This is only a glimpse of the Ratcliffe story. The full Ratcliffe history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Ratcliffe coat of arms. Get the full Ratcliffe report.
Ratcliffe name FAQ
What does the Ratcliffe name mean?
Red cliff. Common variants include Radcliffe, Ratcliff.
Where does the Ratcliffe surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Is there a Ratcliffe coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Ratcliffe coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).