RICE-L Archives

From: <>
Subject: Re: Irish origins of the name RICE
Date: Mon, 25 Oct 1999 14:37:39 -0500 (CDT)

Taken from; The Book of Ulster Surnames Robert Bell
RICE
This name is common in Leinster and Munster but most numerous in
Ulster,where its main centres are in counties Antrim and Armagh. The
name is Welsh in origin and was previously RHYS
which means `ardour', and many in Ulster will be of Welsh stock.
However,the ORIEL name,O'Maolchraoibhe (from craohh-meaning `branch')
was also for some unknown reason anglicised as RICE, as well as,more
understandably,Mulcreevy,Mulgrew, and Grew. Most Rices of Co. Armagh
will be of this origin.


Taken from; The Book of Irish Families Great & Small
IGF O'LOCHLAININ

RICE RHYS (WELSH) ROICE
Families of the name of RICE may stem from an ancient Welsh origins when
found in Ireland. In the province of Munster it is said the name comes
from the Welsh name of RHYS, The family name is found in
Limerick,Kerry,Cork and Waterford for several centuries. The census of
1659 finds RICE as a priciple name of Limerick City.And at the beginning
of that century O'Hart finds RICE in Kildare and Kerry.
The brief pedigrees of the two RICE families presentd by O'Hart include
"Rice of Carrignifyly,Co.Kerry and Rice of Dingleicoush,Co.Kerry.
Neither is said to be of an original Irish family. Pierce Rice was a
sheriff of Kerry, and Lord Chief Baron Rice was among the Lords of the
treasury in 1689 per that source.
In Keatings History the Rice family is cited in Co.Kerr,and it was noted
that they were centered in one time around the town of Dingle there.
There are also given as a family name of foreign stock settling in
Waterford and Tipperary.
By the time of the 1890 birth index of Ireland we find 99 births of the
name concentrated in Ulster,in the counties of Antrim,Armagh,Louth and
Dublin. Why the family name is concentrated only here in modern times is
unsure. In O'Donovans works we find the family of Mulcreevy of Co.Down
went by the name of Rice as well. This of course would represent an
entirely distinct family of the name of ancient Irish, not Welsh
extraction.
Records relating to the family are found in the Public Records
Office,For Courts,Dubln,Ireland.

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