RITCHIE  
  This surname is of early medieval English and Scottish origin. It is a diminutive of Richard, the popular Germanic personal name composed of the elements "ric", meaning power, and "hard", meaning brave or strong. An 8th Century English kinglet of this name died at Lucca, in Italy, on his way to Rome and is still venerated there as St. Ricardo. But it was as "Ricard" that the name was used by the Normans and brought by them to England and Scotland after 1066. The surname as (Mac) Ritchie is mainly found in the Highlands, and more usually without "Mac" in Southern Scotland and the English border counties.

Recorded as MacRitchie, McRitchie, Riche, and Richie. See entries for RICHINGS and RICKETTS above.

Early examples include Duncan Richie, a kings messenger in Perth in 1505; John Riche who witnessed an instrument of sasine in Brechin in the same year; and Robert McRichie also known as Makryche, of Glenshee in 1571; whilst Duncan Riche was the king's sheriff of Inverness in 1512. William Ritchie founded the "Scotsman" newspaper in 1817, and Alexander Ritchie was an Edinburgh artist of repute in the early half of the last century.

The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Michael Rechy. This was dated 1350, in "Medieval Records of Inverness", Scotland, during the reign of King David II of Scotland, 1329 - 1371.

Motto: Virtute acquiritur honos
Motto translated: Honour is acquired by virtue
 
Source: http://www.pi.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/ivorrussell/names.htm as NAME DERIVATIONS BY IVOR MAURICE RUSSELL