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

Richie, 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 Richie surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Richie in America

Richie is the 5138th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Richie surname appeared 6,812 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Richie.

We can also compare 2010 data for Richie 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 Richie

The surname Richie is of Scottish origin and dates back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old French word "riche", meaning rich or wealthy. The name was initially given as a nickname to someone who was prosperous or had acquired significant wealth.

In the early days, the name was spelled in various ways, including Riche, Ryche, Rych, and Richee. These variations were common due to the inconsistencies in spelling and record-keeping during that time period.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which were a series of homage rolls recording the names of Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The name "Richart le Riche" appears in these rolls, indicating the presence of the surname in Scotland in the late 13th century.

The Richie surname has a strong connection to several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Sir William Richie, a Scottish knight who fought alongside King Robert the Bruce during the Wars of Scottish Independence in the early 14th century.

Another prominent figure was John Richie, born in 1692, who was a Scottish mathematician and astronomer. He made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1726.

In the literary world, the surname is associated with Leitch Ritchie, a Scottish novelist and journalist born in 1800. He is known for his works such as "Wanderings by the Loire" and "Schinderhannes, the Robber of the Rhine."

The Richie surname also has a connection to the American Civil War. Major General William Richie, born in 1825, was a Union Army officer who played a crucial role in several battles, including the Battle of Antietam and the Siege of Petersburg.

Another notable bearer of the name was Sir John Richie, a Scottish banker and entrepreneur born in 1808. He founded the National Bank of Scotland and served as its first chairman, making significant contributions to the financial sector in Scotland.

While the surname Richie has its roots in Scotland, it has since spread to various parts of the world, with descendants bearing the name in countries like England, Ireland, Canada, and the United States.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Richie

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

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 Richie 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 Richie 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 Richie was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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