Surname Rettie - Meaning and Origin
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Rettie: What does the surname Rettie mean?
The last name Rettie is of British origin and is derived from the Old English personal name Ryce, which means strong. It is also thought to possibly have been derived from the Old English word for stream, called Ryc.
The name Rettie was particularly popular in Scotland during the 17th and 18th centuries and is still used as a surname in Scotland and England. In Scotland, the name is most commonly found in the regions of Aberdeen, Midlothian and Lanarkshire, where it is still a popular surname today.
Rettie is typically considered to be a locational surname, meaning that individuals may have been named for where they lived rather than their family's surname. It is also possible that variations on the surname Ryce (including Rees, Reiss, and Resse) were all derived from folk who lived near a stream.
The Rettie name is one that carries with it a long and proud history. It symbolizes strength, courage, and resilience – all virtues that have been embodied by those bearing the name throughout the centuries. As a strong and traditional name, the Retties remain an integral part of British and Scottish culture.
Order DNA origin analysisRettie: Where does the name Rettie come from?
The last name Rettie is most commonly found in Scotland today. It began appearing in records around the 16th century, with the earliest mention being a marriage record from 1584 in Ayrshire. It is thought to be of Scottish origin, derived from the word “red,” as a form of nickname for someone with red hair.
Rettie is especially common in Scotland’s northeast, with the highest population concentrations in Aberdeenshire, Moray, and the Scottish Borders. In Aberdeenshire, the highest recorded numbers of Retties appear in the towns of Peterhead, Fraserburgh, and Huntley. The name is also fairly common in the Glasgow area, with the Fort william area having a relatively large amount of Retties as well.
Outside of Scotland, Rettie can be found in smaller numbers throughout England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, the United States, Australia, Canada, South Africa, and New Zealand.
The Rettie name is still widespread today and is especially prominent in the northeast of Scotland. It appears in various records throughout history, indicating that the name has endured for centuries and continues to be used into the present day.
Variations of the surname Rettie
Rettie is an English surname of several possible origins. It could be a diminutive form of any given name beginning with “R”, such as Robert, Randolph, Remy, etc. It could also be derived from the place names of Riddeshall and Wretton. Some variants of the Rettie surname include Ritty, Rettieh, Riddeshall, Wretton, Rett, Ret, Retting, Rettig, Retcher, Retzik, Rechter, Rettinger, and Rechsteiner.
The Rettie surname is found across Europe with the largest concentration in the U.K. and Ireland. It is especially common in Scotland. Other countries where the surname is found include Germany, Sweden, and the United States. In the U.S. the highest concentration of Retties live in Texas, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
Variants of Rettie are also found in other languages, such as German, where it is commonly spelled Rettig. In Dutch, the spelling is Retting (van Retting) and in Swedish, it is Rettig.
Variations of the name are also found in some other languages including Spanish (Retis), Portuguese (Retiz), and Italian (Retto). There are also related surnames of the same etymology such as Retkowski, Retzinger, and Rottschafer. With the high number of spelling variations, many of these surnames could have initially been interchangeable and have now become distinctive.
Famous people with the name Rettie
- Alan Rettie: Former Coca Cola executive, professor of marketing and consumer behaviour, and author.
- Amy Rettie: American professional tennis player.
- Carolyn Rettie: British artist, sculptor and poet.
- Daryl Rettie: Canadian former professional soccer player.
- Graham Rettie: British Horseman and coachdriver.
- Janet Rettie: British educational consultant and lecturer.
- John Rettie: British foreign correspondent.
- Lottie Rettie: Scottish singer-songwriter and producer.
- Mark Rettie: American actor and singer.
- Scott Rettie: Canadian television personality, producer, and author.