Ratcliffe

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A English surname of Old English origin, also borne by several villages and places in England
2. A proper name of English origin, used as a family name and as the name of various English localities
3. An English family name derived from place names, also given to several small towns and villages in England

Etymology: Ratcliffe is a surname and place name, and its parts are plain English. The first element is "rat", which in Old English named the rat, while "cliffe" comes from "clif", meaning a steep bank or cliff. Together they describe a place with a steep bank where rats were found, or perhaps a cliff with a particular association with rats, depending on the locality. Because so many English places were named this way, the name spread both as a village name and as a family name taken from people who lived at or near such a spot. The surname developed in the same way as many other English locational names, with people being called after the place they came from. Several villages and parishes across England bear the name, and the family name is found in numerous places, so it does not point to one single founding location. The historical record for any individual bearer depends on local records rather than on a single famous origin.