2000
#975
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 32,654
First available Census row
Per 100,000 12.10
Uncommon Last name
Riddle
A surname referring to a person who is skilled at solving puzzles or speaking in riddles.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 36,079 Americans carry the last name Riddle. That puts it at #1,095 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 10.53 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 9,500 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Riddle 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 Riddle with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
36K
1 in 9,500
Census rank
#1,095
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
10.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
31K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 31,463 bearers of the surname Riddle in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 10.53 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 1095th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Riddle, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.1%. The next largest groups are Black (5.7%) and Two or More Races (4.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Riddle
The surname RIDDLE is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "rædels" or "ridel," meaning a riddle or enigma. This name first emerged in the Middle Ages, likely referring to someone who was known for posing riddles or puzzles.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name RIDDLE can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, dated around 1273, which mentions a John Ridel. This document was a survey of landowners and property holders in England, providing valuable insights into the historical distribution of surnames.
The RIDDLE name was particularly prevalent in the counties of Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire, suggesting that these areas may have been the original strongholds of families bearing this surname. It's worth noting that the name also appeared in various spellings, such as Riddel, Riddell, and Rydell, reflecting the fluid nature of surname spelling in earlier times.
In the 16th century, the RIDDLE surname gained prominence with the rise of Nicholas Ridley (c. 1500-1555), a prominent English Protestant reformer and martyr. Ridley played a crucial role in the establishment of the Church of England and was eventually burned at the stake during the Marian Persecutions under Queen Mary I.
Another notable figure with the RIDDLE surname was Sir Thomas Ridley (1563-1629), an English merchant and financier who served as the Lord Mayor of London from 1615 to 1616. Ridley was involved in the establishment of several trading companies and contributed significantly to the economic development of the city.
The RIDDLE name also gained recognition in literature with the works of Mark Ridley (1560-1624), an English writer and clergyman who authored several religious texts, including "A View of the Civile and Ecclesiastical Law" and "A Short Treatise of Magneticall Bodies and Motions."
In the 18th century, James Riddle (1736-1765) was a Scottish poet and schoolmaster, known for his works such as "The Tales of the Riddlers" and "The Riddlerian." His poems and riddles were popular among the literary circles of his time.
Another notable figure was Thomas Riddle (1806-1879), a Scottish-born Australian politician and businessman who served as the Premier of Western Australia from 1868 to 1870. He played a significant role in the development of the colony and the establishment of responsible government.
Throughout history, the RIDDLE surname has been associated with various professions and fields, including literature, religion, politics, and commerce, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who bore this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Riddle
Among Census respondents with the surname Riddle, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.1%. The next largest groups are Black (5.7%) and Two or More Races (4.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Riddle 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 Riddle surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White85.1% · 26,788
- Black or African American5.7% · 1,802
- Two or more races4.5% · 1,415
- Hispanic or Latino3.0% · 938
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 317
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 203
Timeline
Historical Census data for Riddle
Riddle 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
#1,036
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 33,507
+853 bearers (+2.6%)
Per 100,000 11.36
Rank movement Down 61 places
2020
#1,095
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 31,463
-2,044 bearers (-6.1%)
Per 100,000 10.53
Rank movement Down 59 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #975 | 32,654 | 12.10 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #1,036 | 33,507 | 11.36 | +853 bearers (+2.6%) | Down 61 places |
| 2020 | #1,095 | 31,463 | 10.53 | -2,044 bearers (-6.1%) | Down 59 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 Riddle 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 | #1,036 | #1,095 | -5.7% |
| Count | 33,507 | 31,463 | -6.1% |
| Per 100K | 11.36 | 10.53 | -7.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Riddle bearers went from 33,507 to 31,463 (-6.1% change). The surname moved down 59 positions in the national ranking, going from #1,036 to #1,095.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Riddle
FAQ
Riddle surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Riddle?
Name Census estimates that about 36,079 living Americans carry the surname Riddle. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 9,500 residents.
How common is Riddle?
Riddle ranks #1,095 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 10.53 per 100,000 residents, which is about 11 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 31,463 people with the surname Riddle. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (36,079), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 10.53 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 10.53 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 11 of them to have the surname Riddle.
Has Riddle become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Riddle went from 33,507 recorded bearers to 31,463. That is a decrease of 2,044 (-6.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #1,036 to #1,095.
What does the Census say about the background of Riddle?
Among Census respondents with the surname Riddle, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.1%. The next largest groups are Black (5.7%) 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 Riddle in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.1% (26,788 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Riddle appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (85.1%), Black (5.7%), 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 Riddle (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 Riddle mean?
A surname referring to a person who is skilled at solving puzzles or speaking in riddles. 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 Riddle (10.53 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 many people share the surname Riddle?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.