Rice Family Crest, Coat of Arms & Rice Name Origin

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Origin of the Name Rice

The Rice family history was found in the allfamilycrests.com archives. The name Rice in Ireland is of two very different origins. The Rices of Oriel, now found chiefly in Counties Louth and Armagh are Gaelic, being called O'Maolcraoibhe in Irish . In County Down families of the name were known both as Mulcreevy and Rice. The Rices of Munster are Welsh in origin, Rhys being their name in Wales. Though never numerous, from the fourteenth century onwards they were influential in Counties Limerick and Kerry . Many appear in town life as Provosts, Mayors and Sheriffs of Limerick , Cork and Waterford and as landed proprietors in Counties Limerick and Kerry , where they settled near Dingle. The name Rice also has associations with the city of Galway . A pilot traditionally believed to have accompanied Christopher Columbus on his voyage of discovery and even to have sailed to America on his own, was Rice de Galvey alias Penrise. In modern times the name Rice is widespread throughout all four Provinces in Ireland .