Ridgeon Family History

The variant of Rigden features a consonant cluster that simplifies from /gd/ to /ʤ/, resulting in forms such as Ridgeon and Ridgen. This phonetic alteration also includes the lowering of the vowel to produce variations like Re(d)gin, Region, and Regent.

To illustrate this linguistic evolution, we can compare historical records. For instance, Thomas Rygdon is mentioned in the years 1461–2 in the Canterbury Wills (Probate), which took place in Lower Hardres, Kent.

Further examples can be drawn from more recent records. William Ridgen appears in 1661, also in the Kent History Centre, located in Lower Hardres, Kent, providing additional context for this name's variation.

Additionally, the names of Anne Rigdenn from 1628 and Ann Ridgen from 1743, both found in the IGI database for Chislet, Kent, further exemplify the transformation and interchangeability of these surnames over the centuries.

These comparisons not only highlight the phonetic changes that have occurred but also reflect the historical and geographical influences on naming conventions in Kent.