Meaning and origin
The last name Richard is of Germanic origin derived from the given name Richard, which combines the elements "ric," meaning "ruler" or "king," and "hard," meaning "brave" or "strong." With roots in medieval Europe, the name Richard spread across various countries, including England, France, Germany, and Scandinavia.
Surname origins are rarely settled: one spelling can have several sources, and families often took a name for reasons nobody wrote down. Check it against the sources below before you rely on it.
Similar spellings
#629
Richard was the 629th most common surname in the 2010 US Census, with 53,893 people, about 18 in every 100,000.
Who carries it
Surnames like Richard
Names it is linked with, then names with the same origin and a similar standing.
Check the sources
- Forebears: where Richard is found around the world
- The Internet Surname Database: a second opinion on the origin
- US Census Bureau: the 2010 surname figures used here
For a name you are serious about, compare the dictionaries: Reaney and Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames; Hanks, Dictionary of American Family Names.