“Do you go by Jean Claude or Juan Carlos?”
Two brothers came to Maine in 1671 from the English Channel Island of Jersey. Their names were George and Maturin Ricart, Ricarte, Ricard, Riccar.
Once in Maine, the family surname was changed to Ricker, a common practice to “Anglicize” one’s identity, for advantages that might provide.
Throughout the world today, the name Maturin is Spanish (or Catalonian). Catalonia is normally thought of as Spanish, but partly from France as well.
I wonder if they were Protestants or Jews who fled from Catalonia and the the Spanish or French inquisitions, to safety in Jersey?
Anyway the two brothers were killed by Indians in 1706. By then of course they had children, and it is from George that I descend.