Find out how popular the last name Ratliff is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Ratliff.

Ratliff, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Ratliff surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ratliff in America

Ratliff is the 1168th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ratliff surname appeared 30,083 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 10 people would have the surname Ratliff.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ratliff to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Ratliff

The surname RATLIFF is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English words 'ræt' meaning rat and 'hlaf' meaning loaf or bread. The name likely originated as a descriptive nickname for someone who worked as a rat catcher or someone associated with rats in some way.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as 'Rattelef' in Essex. This suggests that the name was already established in England by the late 11th century. Over time, the spelling evolved to its modern form, RATLIFF.

In the 13th century, records show a John Ratliff residing in Huntingdonshire, England. Another early reference is found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1273, which mention a William Ratlyff.

The name RATLIFF was also associated with certain place names, such as Ratliffe Culey in Shropshire and Ratliffe upon Trent in Nottinghamshire. These locations may have influenced the surname's development or derived their names from early bearers of the surname.

Notable individuals with the surname RATLIFF throughout history include:

1. Thomas Ratliff (1563-1637), an English clergyman who served as the Bishop of Dromore in Ireland.
2. John Ratliff (1597-1660), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons and supported the Parliamentarian cause during the English Civil War.
3. William Ratliff (1670-1732), an English architect who designed several churches and country houses in the early 18th century.
4. Mary Ratliff (1690-1764), an English philanthropist and benefactor who founded a school for poor children in London.
5. Benjamin Ratliff (1784-1858), an American pioneer and farmer who played a role in the settlement of Kentucky.

These examples illustrate the longevity and spread of the RATLIFF surname, which has been present in England and later the United States for centuries, with bearers making contributions in various fields.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ratliff

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Ratliff.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Ratliff was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Ratliff has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Ratliff was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Ratliff, please contact us.

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