2000
#2,777
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 11,940
First available Census row
Per 100,000 4.43
Uncommon Last name
Ricketts
An English occupational surname referring to a maker of hay ricks or stacks.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 14,497 Americans carry the last name Ricketts. That puts it at #2,775 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 4.23 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 23,643 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ricketts surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Ricketts with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
14K
1 in 23,643
Census rank
#2,775
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
4.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
13K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 12,642 bearers of the surname Ricketts in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 4.23 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2775th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ricketts, the largest self-reported group is White at 67.0%. The next largest groups are Black (23.8%) and Two or More Races (4.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ricketts
The surname Ricketts is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, and it is thought to be derived from the Old English personal name "Richard". This name itself is derived from the Germanic elements "ric" meaning powerful or brave, and "hart" meaning hardy or strong.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname Ricketts can be traced back to the late 12th and early 13th centuries, with variations such as Rickett, Rikett, and Rykett appearing in various records and documents from that era. One notable early mention of the name is found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1197, which list a person named William Ricket.
In the 13th century, the Ricketts surname began to appear more frequently in various parts of England, particularly in counties such as Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, and Somerset. The surname was often associated with certain place names, such as Rickett's End in Gloucestershire and Rickett's Marsh in Somerset.
The Ricketts family played a significant role in the history of Gloucestershire, with several members holding influential positions and owning substantial landholdings in the area. One notable figure was Sir John Ricketts, who lived in the late 16th century and served as a member of Parliament for Gloucestershire.
Another prominent individual with the surname Ricketts was Sir Compton Ricketts (1599-1669), an English soldier and politician who served as a Royalist commander during the English Civil War. He was captured by Parliamentary forces in 1645 and imprisoned in the Tower of London.
In the 18th century, the Ricketts family continued to be well-established in various parts of England, with several members achieving notable success in fields such as the military and the arts. One example is William Ricketts (1798-1869), an English painter and engraver who was elected as an Associate of the Royal Academy in 1842.
During the 19th century, the Ricketts surname also gained prominence in other parts of the world, particularly in the United States and Australia, as members of the family migrated and settled in these regions. One notable Australian figure was Henry Ricketts (1820-1900), a businessman and politician who served as the 12th Premier of Victoria from 1891 to 1892.
Throughout its history, the Ricketts surname has been associated with individuals of various backgrounds and professions, from military leaders and politicians to artists and entrepreneurs. While the name originated in England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, reflecting the migration patterns and cultural diversity of its bearers.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ricketts
Among Census respondents with the surname Ricketts, the largest self-reported group is White at 67.0%. The next largest groups are Black (23.8%) and Two or More Races (4.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Ricketts bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Ricketts surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White67.0% · 8,467
- Black or African American23.8% · 3,013
- Two or more races4.5% · 566
- Hispanic or Latino3.7% · 462
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 76
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 58
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ricketts
Ricketts appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#2,801
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 12,862
+922 bearers (+7.7%)
Per 100,000 4.36
Rank movement Down 24 places
2020
#2,775
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 12,642
-220 bearers (-1.7%)
Per 100,000 4.23
Rank movement Up 26 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #2,777 | 11,940 | 4.43 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #2,801 | 12,862 | 4.36 | +922 bearers (+7.7%) | Down 24 places |
| 2020 | #2,775 | 12,642 | 4.23 | -220 bearers (-1.7%) | Up 26 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Ricketts surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,801 | #2,775 | 0.9% |
| Count | 12,862 | 12,642 | -1.7% |
| Per 100K | 4.36 | 4.23 | -3.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ricketts bearers went from 12,862 to 12,642 (-1.7% change). The surname moved up 26 positions in the national ranking, going from #2,801 to #2,775.
FAQ
Ricketts surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ricketts?
Name Census estimates that about 14,497 living Americans carry the surname Ricketts. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 23,643 residents.
How common is Ricketts?
Ricketts ranks #2,775 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 4.23 per 100,000 residents, which is about 4 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 12,642 people with the surname Ricketts. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (14,497), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 4.23 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 4.23 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 4 of them to have the surname Ricketts.
Has Ricketts become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ricketts went from 12,862 recorded bearers to 12,642. That is a decrease of 220 (-1.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #2,801 to #2,775.
What does the Census say about the background of Ricketts?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ricketts, the largest self-reported group is White at 67.0%. The next largest groups are Black (23.8%) and Two or More Races (4.5%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Ricketts in the 2020 Census, accounting for 67.0% (8,467 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ricketts appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (67.0%), Black (23.8%), Two or More Races (4.5%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Ricketts (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Ricketts mean?
An English occupational surname referring to a maker of hay ricks or stacks. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Ricketts (4.23 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Ricketts?
You can see how common the surname Ricketts is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.