Wednesday, December 10, 2008

looking back



(Scottish Rith heraldry and Rith bicycle shop in Germany, cousins back 10-15 generations...)
I had been told our ancestors had been German protestents (Mennonites) some of whom had come to America (as either Rith or Rieth---and there are still MANY Rieths in Pennsylvania Dutch country and other Mennonite communities), and some of whom, our direct ancestors, ran to Hungary, and later to New York, to escape the Catholics who were kicking the sh!t out of Mennonites in the mid-1700s.
My man Russ asks if this coat of arms from Scotland is us, and I suspect it is a family branch that predates all of that. From what my sister has told me (she has been working on it), going back to about 1100, the Rith's were originally Celts from the area around the Germany-France border, which is where a few Rith's still live. But then, as I say, most of them spread out, and according to Russ's research, a branch ended up in Scotland. Something like MacCraith or somesuch.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Du bist Deutsch!!

And a box has arrived! I'm so excited!! Will take pictures and blog when no one is around (esp. one SnakeMaster)....

Anonymous said...

Wonder what the Scottish version of the Huffman surname would be...MacChuffman?

Miss Heather said...

I agree with Cheri... KILT PIC! KILT PIC!! :)

Also, nice bedhead in the main blog pic. Loving it. :)

Crafter of Khnum said...

I'll have to put up a photo of me before coffee. Too scary for children.

I vote for kilt, and caber tossing at the same time. Nothing gets the old ticker pumping like tossing cabers in a kilt.

Gary's third pottery blog said...

never said I WAS a Scot, unless it is convenient and gets me a wee dram for free...
;^)

Clowncar said...

hey gary -

I'm not sure where to post this question, but I'm looking for a small flower vase as a gift for my Mom. Do you make small vases? Do you have a art-specific site to browse in? And is it way, way too late to order something by Christmas?

Susan as Herself said...

I am also Scottish, German, French, Hungarian, etc. And I have relatives in Pennsylvania Dutch country, as well as Hungary. Perhaps we are really cousins after all...