Record Family History

English: from the Middle English personal name Richeward Rikeward (Old French Ricoart ancient Germanic Ricward from rīc ‘power(ful) realm’ + ward ‘protector’). English: occasionally perhaps a variant of the Middle English personal name Richold Rikold used of both men and women. The male name is Old French in two different dialect forms of ancient Germanic Ricoald Ricold Richold (from rīc ‘power(ful)’ + wald ‘rule ruler’) and the female name is an Old French form of ancient Germanic Richold a variant of Richild (where the second element is hild ‘battle’). Altered form of French Ricard reflecting the characteristic Canadian and American French rounding of the -ard ending. In some cases possibly also southern French: from Old French record recort ‘recollection account testimony’ and by extension ‘witness’ hence perhaps a nickname for someone who had given evidence in a court of law or a metonymic occupational name for a clerk who recorded court proceedings.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022