Ratcliff Family Crest, Coat of Arms and Name History

Blazons & Genealogy Notes

1) Ratcliff – (Coventry, co. Warwick, and Chatterton, co. Leicester; confirmed by the Deputies of Camden, Clarenceux, to Richard Ratcliff, of Coventry, fifth in descent from Edmund Ratcliff, of Coventry, second son of John Rat¬cliff, of Chatterton, a.d. 1435, whose grandfather, John Ratcliff, to. Margaret, dau. and heir of William Chatterton, of Chatterton). Ar. a bend engr. sa.
2) Ratcliff – (Chappell, co. Essex). Same Arms, an escallop for diff.
3) Ratcliff – (Wyddrington, co. Warwick, Ledbury, co. Hereford, and co. Worcester; Sir John Ratcliff received the honour of knighthood, 15th June, 1358, on the occasion of the Queen’s visit to Birmingham, of which borough he was Mayor in 1857, 1858, and 1859). Per bend ar. and or, a bend engr. aa. thereon in chief an anchor of the second, in sinister chief a knight’s helmet ppr. Crest—In front of a bull’s head erased sa. armed or, collared ar. three escallops also ar. Motto—Fide et fortitudine.
4) Ratcliffe – (Earl of Sussex, Viscount and Baron Fitz-Walter, earldom and viscounty extinct 1641, barony passed to Mildmay; Sir John Ratcliffe, Governor of Trounsak, in Aquitaine, temp. Henry V. and VI., m. Elizabeth, only dau. and heir of Walter, last Baron Fitz-Walter, of that family: his son, Sir John Ratcliffe, was summoned to Parliament as Baron Fitz-Walter, 1485; Robert, second Baron Fitz-Walter, K.G., was created a viscount 1525, and an earl 1529). Ar. a bend engr. sa. Crest—On a chapeau gu. turned up erm. two wings of the first, which are connected by a nimbus, pendent therefrom a fetterlock, and surmounted by an estoile all or. Supporters—Two bulls sa. gorged with ducal coronets, armed and chained ar. Motto—Virtus propter se.
5) Ratcliffe – (Malory, co. Derby, and Ordeshall, co. Lancastei). Ar. two bends engr. sa. Crest—A bull’s head erased sa. armed or, ducally gorged, lined, and ringed ar.
6) Ratcliffe – (Mowgrave, co. York). Ar. a bend engr. sa. a mullet for diff. Crest—On a mount vert a Cornish chough sa.
7) Ratcliffe – (Mowgrave, co. York). Ar on a saltire gu. five crosses patonce or.
8) Ratcliffe – (Todmorden, co. Lancaster, and co. York). Ar. a bend engr. sa. a fleur-de-lis for diff. Crest—A bull’s head erased per pale ar. and sa. armed and ducally gorged or.
9) Radcliff – (co. Chester, Mulgrave and Newton, co. Durham, co. Oxford, and Standish, co. Warwick). Ar. a bend eugr. sa. a mullet for diff.
10) Radcliff – (co. Leicester). Ar. on a bend engr. sa. an annulet or, for diff.
11) Radcliff – (Stepney). Ar. a bend engr. sa. a crescent gu. charged with a mullet or, for diff.
12) Radcliff – Ar. a cross crosslet gu. betw. two bendlets engr. sa. Crest—A bull’s head erased gu. gorged with a ducal coronet or.
13) Radcliff – Az. a chev. or, betw. three lions ramp. ar.
14) Radcliff – Ar. on a bend engr. sa. an escallop gu. Crest—A dragon sans legs and wings az.
15) Radcliffe – (Radcliffe Tower, co. Lancaster; descended from William Radcliffe, Sheriff co. Lancaster 1194; hia great grandson, Richard Radcliffe, Esq., of Radcliffe Tower, obtained from Edward I., 1303, a charter of free warren and chase in all his demesne lands at Radcliffe; he left three sons: 1) Robert, ancestor of Radcliffe, of Southills and Tingrave; 2) William, ancester of the Earls of Derwentwater, Ratcliffe, Earls of Sussex, and Ratcliffe, of Langley; 3) Sir John, Knt., of Ordshall, co. Lancaster). Ar. two bendlets engr. sa. Crest—A bull’s head erased sa. ducally gorged and lined or.
16) Radcliffe – (Earl of Derwentwater, attainted 1715; Sir Francis Radcliffe, Knt., of Dilston, co. Northumberland, was so created 1688; his grandson, James, third Earl of Derwentwater, was beheaded on Tower Hill for participation in the rising in 1715). Ar. a bend engr. sa. Crest—Out of a ducal coronet a bull’s head sa. armed or. Supporters—Two bulls pean gorged with ducal coronets, armed and chained ar.
17) Radcliffe – (Earl of Newburgh: James Bartholomew Radcliffe, eldest son of Hon. Charles Radcliffe, the brother of the attainted Earl of Derwentwater, by his wife, Charlotte Maria, Countess of Newburgh in her own right, his brother as third Earl of Newburgh 1755; earldom, now vested in the Princess Giustiniani, Countess of Newburgh in her own right). Ar. on a bend betw. two acorns slipped gu. an anchor of the first, a double tressure flory counterflory vert.
18) Radcliffe – (Langley, co. York; descended from Radcliffe, of Ordshall). Ar. a bend engr. sa. charged with a crescent of the field for diff. Crest—A bull’s head erased sa. horned ar. tipped or, gorged with a ducal coronet of the second. Mutto—Virtue propter se.
19) Radcliffe – (Milnsbridge House, co. York, and Caverswall Castle, co. Stafford, bart.; descended from Joseph Pickford, Esq., of Althill, co. Lancaster, who m. Mary, sister and heir of William Radcliffe, Esq., of Milnsbridge, and had a son, Joseph Pickford, assumed the name of Radcliffe, and was created a bart. 1813). Ar. a bend engr. sa. charged with a crescent of the field for diff. Crest—A bull’s head erased sa. horns ar. tipped or, gorged with a ducal coronet of the second. Motto—Virtus propter se.
20) Radcliffe – (Hockworthy, co. Devon). Ar. a bend engr. sa. on a canton of the first a horse’s head couped of the second. Crest—Out of a mural crown ar. a bull’s head sa. horned or.
21) Radcliffe – (Mellor, co. Derby; a younger branch of Radcliffe, of Ordshall, co. Lancaster; ten descents are given in the Visit. 1611). Ar. two bends engr. sa. a label of three points and a crescent gu. Crest—A bull’s head erased sa. armed or, ducally gorged and charged with a pheon ar.
22) Radcliffe – (Somerset Herald, temp. Henry VII.) Ar. two bends invecked sa. a mullet for diff.
23) Radcliffe – (Warleigh, co. Devon, originally of Chatterton, со. Lancaster, and afterwards of Franklin, co. Devon; Jasper Radcliffe, Esq., of Hockworthy Court, in that county, m. Mary, dau. of William Franklin, Barrister-at-law, and was grandfather of Walter Radcliffe, Esq., of Hockworthy and Franklin). (Dr. John Radcliffe, founder of Radcliffe’s Library, Oxford). Ar. a bend engr. sa. a canton of the first charged with a horse’s head of the second. Crest—On a mural crown a bull’s head. Motto—Casteris major qui melior.
24) Radcliffe – (Leigh, co. Lancaster, 1664). Ar. two bendlets engr. sa. a canton gu.
25) Radcliffe – (Manchester, со Lancaster, 1613). Same Arms, a crescent gu. for diff. Crest—A bull’s head erased sa. horned or, ducally gorged gold, a crescent for diff.
26) Radcliffe – (Hitchin Priory, co. Herts; descended from Ralph Radcliffe, Esq., grantee of Hitchin Priory, temp. Henry VIII. Emilios Henry Delme, Esq., m. 1802, Anne Mellicent, dau. of Charles Clarke, Esq., of Addiscombe, by Anne Radcliffe, his wife, dau. and co-heir of John Radcliffe, Esq.. of Hitchin, and assumed on his marriage, by royal licence, the additional surname of Radcliffe). Quarterly, 1st and 4th, ar. a cross crosslet gu. betw. three bendlets engr. sa. a label of three points throughout, on a canton sa. a cross crosslet or, for Radcliffe; 2nd and 3rd, or, an anchor in pale sa. betw. two lions pass. gu., for Delme. Crest—A bull’s head sa. armed or, gorged with a ducal coronet and holding in the mouth a cross crosslet fitchée gold, for Radcliffe in front of an anchor sa. a lion pass. gu., for Delme. Motto—Caen, Crecy, Calais.
27) Radcliffe – (Radcliffe-upon-Trent, co. Nottingham, temp. Edward III.). Ar. a chev. vairé or and gu.
28) Radclyffe – (Ordshall and Foxdenton, co. Laneasler; descended from Sir John Radclyffe, Knt., M.P. for co. Lancaster, 14 Edward III., son of Richard Radcliffe, Esq., of Radcliffe Tower). Ar. two bends engr. sa. a label of three points gu.; quartering Radclyffe, of Radclyffe; Legh, of Booths; Venables; Leoe; Leigh, of Leigh; Baguley; Corona; Ardern; Sandbach; Ashaw; Elston; Aughton; Hulton; Bowden; Harrington; Cansfield; Flemyng; English; Urswick; Bradshaw; Verdon; Pilkington; Eyre; Padley; Blakewell; Stafford; and Nuthall. Crest—A bull’s head erased sa. ducally gorged and chained or. Motto—Caen, Cressie, Calais. These words are commemorative of the gallant services in France of the first Sir John Radclyffe, of Ordshall.
29) Radclyffe – (Winmarleigh, co. Lancaster). Ar. a bend sa. in the sinister chief an escallop gu. Crest—A bull’s head erased ea. collared and homed or.
30) Radclyffe – (Todmorden, co. Lancaster). Ar. a bend engr. sa. in the sinister chief a fleur-de-lis gu. Crest—A bull’s head erased per pale ar. and sa. collared and horned or.
31) Radclyffe – (Chadderton, co. Lancaster; descended from John Radclyffe, illegitimate son of Robert Radclyffe, Rector of Bury). Ar. two bends sa. over all a fesse gu.
32) Radecliffe – (Rudding Park, co. York). Ar. a bend engr. sa. a crescent for diff. Cresl—A bull’s head erased sa. liorns ar. tipped or, ducally gorgèd gold.