Radcliffe Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Radcliffe last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Radcliffe last name
Meaning of the Radcliffe last name: "red cliff". Radcliffe is an English surname from Radcliffe near Manchester or Radcliffe on Trent, from Old English rēad, "red", and clif, "slope", a red sandstone cliff. The last name spread through Lancashire and beyond. Oxford's Radcliffe Camera honours the physician John Radcliffe.
Arms associated with the Radcliffe name
Coats of arms associated with the Radcliffe surname follow English heraldry, each set out in a short blazon.
Get your full Radcliffe family history
This is only a glimpse of the Radcliffe story. The full Radcliffe history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Radcliffe coat of arms. Get the full Radcliffe report.
Radcliffe name FAQ
What does the Radcliffe name mean?
"red cliff". Common variants include Ratcliffe, Radclyffe.
Where does the Radcliffe surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Australia and Canada.
Is there a Radcliffe coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Radcliffe coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).