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

Rider, 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 Rider surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rider in America

Rider is the 2227th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rider surname appeared 16,352 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 6 people would have the surname Rider.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rider 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 Rider

The surname Rider originates from England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is an occupational name derived from the Old English word "ridere," which means someone who rode horses, either as a messenger or in battle.

In medieval times, the ability to ride a horse was a valuable skill, and those who possessed it often took on the surname Rider. The earliest recorded instance of the name appears in the Hundred Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1273, where it is listed as "Robert le Ridere."

Throughout the centuries, variations of the spelling have emerged, such as Ryder, Ridor, and Riddere. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and the scribes' interpretations of the name.

The Rider name has been found in several historical records, including the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, where a Robert le Rydere is mentioned. In the Pipe Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1379, a John Ryder is recorded.

One notable individual with the surname Rider was Sir John Rider (c. 1562-1641), an English diplomat and writer who served as a member of parliament and wrote several works on navigation and seamanship.

Another prominent figure was William Rider (1723-1785), an English cartographer and engraver who produced some of the most detailed maps of his time, including "Rider's British Merlin" and "Rider's Pocket Almanac."

In the literary world, Hayter Rider (1829-1904) was a British novelist and playwright known for his works "Chords and Discords" and "Riders of the Black Horse."

The Rider surname has also been associated with place names, such as Ridergate in Norfolk and Rydermere in Westmorland. These place names may have influenced the adoption of the surname in those regions.

Lastly, one cannot overlook the contribution of Thomas Rider (1561-1633), an English lexicographer and theologian who compiled one of the earliest English-Latin dictionaries, titled "Rider's Dictionarie."

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rider

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

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

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

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