Etymograph

English

Ridley

Ridley comes from Old English hrēodan ‘reeds’, from Proto-Germanic *hreudaną ‘to cover’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *krewH- ‘to heap up’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*krewH-‘to heap up’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*krewH-dʰh₁-e-tireconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*hreudaną‘to cover’reconstructed
  4. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*hreudanreconstructed
  5. Old Englishc. 450–1150hrēodanas hrēad‘reeds’
  6. EnglishtodayRidley

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*krewH-‘to heap up’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*krewH-dʰh₁-e-tireconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*hreudaną‘to cover’reconstructed
  4. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*hreudanreconstructed
  5. Old Englishc. 450–1150hrēodanas hrēad‘reeds’
  6. EnglishtodayRidley

Formed from rid + -leigh ‘lea’

Middle English ridden ‘to clear, free, relieve’

English rid

The story

Place names in England, Old English hrēad (‘reeds’) or rydde (‘cleared land’) + lēah (‘wood, clearing’).

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *krewH- ‘to heap up’

raise, 1 more

Today it means

name A surname from Old English.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *krewH- / Ridley

Shirt and support for this word