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

Riddell, 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 Riddell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Riddell in America

Riddell is the 6484th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Riddell surname appeared 5,236 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 Riddell.

We can also compare 2010 data for Riddell 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 Riddell

The surname Riddell has its origins in the region of Roxburghshire, Scotland, during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "ryd" meaning a clearing or an open space, and "dael," meaning a dale or valley. This suggests that the name may have been originally associated with a family residing in a clearing or valley area.

The earliest known record of the name appears in the 12th century, when a person named Radulphus de Ryddale was mentioned in a charter granted by David I, King of Scots, in 1147. This charter pertained to lands in the area of Lilliesleaf, which is situated in the region of Roxburghshire.

In the 13th century, the name was also recorded as Ryddale and Rydel, reflecting the variations in spelling that were common during that time. One notable figure from this era was Walter Rydale, who was a witness to a charter granted by Alexander III, King of Scots, in 1265.

As time progressed, the spelling of the name evolved further, with variations such as Riddale, Riddail, and eventually Riddell becoming more prevalent. In the 16th century, a Sir Walter Riddell was appointed as the Keeper of the Privy Seal by King James VI of Scotland in 1592.

Another prominent individual with this surname was Sir John Riddell (1785-1862), a Scottish antiquarian and writer. He was known for his work on Scottish peerage law and his contributions to the study of Scottish history and antiquities.

The Riddell family also had connections to various places in Scotland, such as the lands of Riddell and the Riddell Baronetcy, which was created in 1628 for Walter Riddell of Riddell. The family's ancestral seat was the Riddell Castle, located in the Scottish Borders region.

Other notable figures with the Riddell surname include James Riddell (1798-1866), a Scottish minister and author, and Robert Riddell (1755-1794), a Scottish poet and writer who was a friend of Robert Burns.

Throughout its history, the Riddell surname has maintained a strong presence in Scotland, particularly in the Borders region, where it originated and where many members of the family have made significant contributions to various fields, including literature, law, and the preservation of Scottish history and culture.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Riddell

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

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

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

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