Last name: Rice

Recorded as Rice, Ryce, Rhys, Reasce, Reece, Rees and Reese, this is regarded as a Welsh surname but is equally English. It originates from the pre 7th century Olde English personal name Ris or Rhys, meaning "ardour or sometimes "fiery warrior". The name first appears as "Hris" in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles for the county of Cambridgeshire, in the year 1052, and as Rees in the Domesday Book of Cheshire, dated 1086. It was also the name borne by the last ruler of an independent Kingdom of Wales, Rhys ap Tewder, who died in 1093, after unsuccessfully opposing the Norman advance. The surname was first recorded at the beginning of the 13th Century (see below), and other early recordings include: John Rees, who appeared in the 1288 Fine Court Rolls of Suffolk, and Walter Rys, who was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire, dated 1327. In 1536, Richard Rice or Price was the abbot of Conway in Wales, John Ryce appears in the Hearth Tax rolls of Suffolk in 1524, whilst on August 29th 1591, Griphin Rice and Agnes Careless were married at St. Margaret's Church, Westminster. An interesting namebearer was Edmund Ignatius Rice (1762 - 1844), who founded the (Irish) Christian Brothers Order in County Waterford in 1808. A coat of arms of the family has the blazon of a silver shield charged with an erminois chevron cotised black between three ravens. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of William Res. This was dated 1203, in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire, during the reign of King John of England, 1199 - 1216. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

Visitor Comments

Adrian Rice
I have heard that Rice was also a derivative of the French 'de Rhys'. Anybody know anything about this?

Britton Rice
I have not heard of this. All of the research done in my family has all turned up Welsh, with some migrating to Scotland and Ireland. If you know more, let me know!

Robert Vernon Rice
Have you had your YDNA analyzed? If so where please. If not please consider the Rice DNA project of the Edmund Rice Assn(www.edmund-rice.org)or email rvrbarre@verizon.net.

Maggs Rice
The Irish for Rice is "de Rís" if thats any help

john rice
the irish name for rice is omaolchraoibhe anglicised omulcreevy and for some reason to rice

mick rice
the rices of kerry MAY be welsh and O Rís being their name in gaelic, the rices of ulster are mostly o'mulcreevy/mulgrew a native tribe

mick rice
de ris is often used in ireland it is usually ap rhys meaning son of rhys. de mean of a place ( as in adrian of rhys)

Carl rice
Absolutely gutted I'm welsh! At least it means 'fiery warrior' though

Carl rice
How weird is this!! My name is Carl rice and what you wrote us exactly what I just said to my mate!

william travis rice
There is the remnants of the Thus castle in Wales, stumbled upon it on a backpack tour thing. Behind a sheep farm on the edge of a cliff, somewhere on the way to fishguard.

william travis rice
Rhys (Rice) castle

Ken Rice
At least I now understand why I have unhealthy thoughts about sheep.

Chloe Rice
i like the fact that its welsh but equally english- cos thats just like me :) lived in wales for most of my life & my mums side is all welsh, and then i was also born in england tho and my dads side is english:) xxx

Carla Rice
I'm Welsh? Oh Lord.

Lil rice pepper
The fiery warrior? Hah, is that why we have red hair? Figures!

David Rice
Whilst it is true that the name Rice has a Welsh connection for those living in the West Country of England, and there are other connections, especially to the Irish, my Rices originated oin Sussex, England and had the name of Rist or Riste. Rist was Saxon and Riste is thought to be Norman, either way there are Rist's in Saxony and other Germanic countries today, and Riste's in Sweden and other Scandinavian countries (where the Norman's originated from) today. Both names imply connection to the land, such as plough maker or handler and a very noticeable trait amongst the Sussex Rices is that they are good with their hands at making things, or are good at working with animals.

mick rice
recent info states the rices of england are often i1 dna subclades, you should do a dna test!

Alexander Rice fiery Scottish warrior
Im a Scottish Rice, great according to this site and others i could of originated from Wales, England, Ireland, Germany, France, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, our surnames should be Heinz, 57 varietes. Does anyone know anything of Scottish Rices.

mick rice
I have a little info two of the earliest lines have donald rice baptise his son alexander in thurso and john rice and percilla jones marring both in the 1500s, I am meant to be of a scottish line but I guess it will be traced back to the Irish welsh and english rices anyway. we should share what little info we have on the rices of scot. my email is mickrice28@yahoo.com

Darla (Rice) Torrence
I was told by my grandfather Rice that our Rice line was from Wales. He said he was Welsh, but he was mostly Cherokee and when he was a boy in Oklahoma, you didn't own your indian heritage.

Lornaa Rice
Omg Fiery Warrior Suits :D

Lorena Ann Rice
My Great Great Grandfather was Joseph Rice born 15 Mar 1829, Butler CO, PA, USA, died 20 Jan 1895/ Married Anna Stichler born 16 Apr 1832 MI, USA died 30 Oct 1922. Does anyone have knowledge of my Family line dating back from this point to the origin of our Rice Name?

Sara Rice
Where in Michigan? I'm from MI too.

john rice
thename rice from county down county armagh is from the anglicised omulcreevy gaelic omaolchraoibhe from craobh meaning branch most rices from these counties will be of gaelic irish stock

Sara Rice
I'm Sara Rice. Family lore says we are Welsh. We did the DNA test which indicates some of my ancestors were in Ireland. I know that in Scottish it used to be ap Rhys meaning son of Rhys and rhys meant branch. In the USA my family originated from Rhode Island to Connecticut to New York then Michigan.

mick rice
ap rhys was welsh being son of the passionate or adour (a personal forename) , rhis an early english word for branch was used for o maolcraibhe a native irish surname craibhe means branch though the surname means decendant of the chieftain of craobhe (a place in ulster

mick rice
i am l21 (celtic y chromosome) what result did your family have?

mick rice
# ardour

Sara Rice
I'm not sure what you mean, we had a haplogroup R1b The Artisans. We did a 37 marker test and came out as: 13 25 14 11 11 13 12 12 12 13 14 29 17 9 10 11 11 25 14 18 30 15 16 16 17

mick rice
did you put the results on ysearch?

Sara Rice
It seems like I did. I know I have it at the Edmund Rice Association Rice Surname DNA site and at Ancestry.com and maybe national geographic, I'll look again at the ysearch.

mick rice
whats your ysearch code

Sara Rice
QWPXE

mick rice
hi sara, edmund rice was i1, you are r1b with most links to ulster ireland. scotch irish makes sense here (ulster scots)

Sara Rice
My family always believed we were Welsh. We do have the Niall marker though from Ireland. My line came to the USA in the 1600's

mick rice
cool my email is mickrice28@yahoo.com email me if you like, I am an Irish rice of a different line. unless their was adoption etc, r your rice family where Ó Maolchraoibhe

Sara Rice
Actually the Ulster Scots don't really fit with my family. I was just reading that a lot of people with the Niall marker are now being called something else because not all of them are Irish. I don't think my family is. The migration and settlement patterns in the USA don't fit either. I'm pretty sure We are English.

David Rice
Hi Sara, have you got your family tree on Ancestry, or Genes Reunited, I would love to see and happy to share my one with you

Sara Rice
Yes, i am on ancestry my tree is named sara's family.

David Rice
Not sure my reply got through, my tree is Sussex Rices, or I can send you a GEDCOM, my email is RRicepud@aol.com

Sara Rice
Send me the gedcom. I'd be interested in seeing it

David Rice
Hi sara, I don't have your email address, mne is RRicepud@aol.com Dave

Sara Rice
curlymop@gmail.com

Nancy Rice Hintz (not of the 57 varieties) ha
I'm a Rice descendant of John Rice 1st who came to USA in 1600"s (Rhode Island) with Edmund Calverly. Later Rice's came to NY and some to MI and Wis and other points west. I have much research on this family. Would be interested in hearing more from you.

Sara Rice
Nancy that is my family too. and our Dna proves it. i'd love to talk more with you please email me. I have a lot of research too.

Sara Rice
Nancy, I'd like to hear from you about these Rice's. I'm descended from John Rice also. The migration pattern you mention describes my family and we are settled in Michigan coming from NY. I'd really like to know what information you have on this line. Could you please email me @ curlymop@gmail.com?

Deadra Rice
I am Deadra Rice. I descend from John Rice of Northboro,Worcester, Massachusetts. Been trying to find his parents. Am uncertain if they were born in America or in Wales.

Abigail Rice
My father found out several years ago that he was a direct descendent of Edmund Rice, who came over on the Mayflower. I have heard that although Edmund was English, there was some Scotch-Irish and Welsh as well. I bear the names of two of the first Rice's born in America. Abigail and Tomasin (a version of Tamsin, a Welsh name). I have heard the name Rice is a version of Rhys, which means Red Headed, amongst other things.

Darla Torrence
Hi Abigail, I have never heard that Edmund or any other Rice came over on te Mayflower. I am a descendant of William Brewster, Francis & John Cook, Mary Wentworth and I think a couple of others and have seen the list of Mayflower passengers and I have never seen a Rice listed. If I'm wrong, please let me know. Maybe I have another Mayflower ancestor. My ancestor Rice was the one who went back to England to get an inheritance and was lost at sea. Can't recall his name right off.

Jared Rice
I am welsh,german,greek,irish,english,italian,and polish.I believe Im am mostly welsh so this makes sense.

mick rice
what was you rice grandfather?

Patti Rice
Anyone related to/know of Clark Rice, in the Army in 1938, stationed in the Long Beach, CA area. Possibly from Washington state?

Lora Rice
I struggle to believe I have much Welsh or Celtic ancestry, just don't feel drawn to the culture at all. OTOH I am drawn to Northern European culture and am often told I look Scandinavian or Dutch. Rice sounds exactly like German Reis and its many variations. (Dutch Rijs, Danish Riis, etc.). I researched online and read that the German surname Rees is thought to be the same name, originating in the Northern town Rees. I saw a painting of Bernhard Von Reesen, and there was a real resemblance to my father (and to me). It was a little spooky. The crest of German Rees contains two horses, and our family traits are noted good horsemen/women, also good at drawing and copying things.

David Rice
Hi Lora, You are right about the Germanic link, my ancestors used the name Rist (Saxon) or Riste (Norman via the Vikings) and both names exist in Germany and Sweden today.

Elizabeth Ward
Edmund Rice did not come over on the Mayflower. His grandson Elisha married Elizabeth Wheeler who was the descendent of William White, Mayflower passenger.

kcb
It's so good to see so many people wanting to know about Rice am from Ulster and because of the political problems of culture and identity it means so much to be either seen as invader,planter,or gaelic/irish or cruthin/ulster i just wish there were a few Mayflower's on now and i would be the first over to american, my dear cousins..lol. how much is the dna test?

mick rice
Hi kcb depends which company you use, and what you expect, gaelic and cruthin are genetically the same it turns out