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

Ridge, 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 Ridge surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ridge in America

Ridge is the 4936th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ridge surname appeared 7,133 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 Ridge.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ridge 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 Ridge

The surname Ridge originated in England and has its roots dating back to the Middle Ages. The name is derived from the Old English word 'hrycg,' meaning 'ridge' or 'hill,' and would have initially been used as a topographic surname to describe someone who lived near a prominent ridge or hill.

One of the earliest known references to the surname Ridge can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'de la Rigge.' This suggests that the name was already well-established in certain regions of England by the late 11th century.

Over time, the surname evolved into various spellings, such as Rigge, Rygge, and eventually Ridge. These variations were common due to the lack of standardized spelling at the time, and regional dialects played a role in how the name was recorded.

One notable early bearer of the surname was Sir John Ridge, a Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire in the late 14th century. Another prominent individual was William Ridge, who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1480.

In the 16th century, the Ridge family had a strong presence in the county of Dorset, where they held lands and estates. Thomas Ridge, born in 1583, was a notable figure from this branch of the family, serving as a Member of Parliament for Dorset during the English Civil War.

The surname also has ties to various place names, such as Ridge Hill in Hertfordshire and Ridge Farm in Shropshire. These locations likely derived their names from the topographic features associated with the word 'ridge,' further solidifying the connection between the surname and its geographic origins.

As the centuries progressed, the Ridge surname spread across England and beyond. Prominent individuals bearing the name include Sir John Ridge (1763-1831), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars, and Thomas Ridge (1821-1868), an American politician and lawyer who served as the governor of Pennsylvania.

William Pett Ridge (1859-1930) was a notable English novelist and author of numerous works, including the popular novel "Mrs. Galer's Business." Another notable figure was Claude Ridges (1888-1962), a British actor and film director who appeared in several silent films and early "talkies" in the early 20th century.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ridge

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

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

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

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