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

Ridley, 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 Ridley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ridley in America

Ridley is the 3133rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ridley surname appeared 11,521 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Ridley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ridley 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 Ridley

The surname Ridley is of English origin and is derived from the Old English word "ryge" meaning rye and "leah" meaning a meadow or clearing. It likely referred to someone who lived near a rye field or meadow.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname date back to the 13th century in counties such as Northumberland and Durham. It was also found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, an ancient census document from the reign of King Edward I.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landholders in England compiled for William the Conqueror, there are several references to places with similar names like Rigeleie and Rigeleia, which may have been the origin of some Ridley surnames.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Nicholas de Ridley, a landowner in Northumberland who was mentioned in records from 1249. Another early example is Ralph de Rydeley, who was recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1301.

Notable individuals with the surname Ridley include Nicholas Ridley (c. 1500-1555), an English Protestant martyr who was burned at the stake for his religious beliefs during the reign of Queen Mary I. Matthew Ridley (1607-1672) was an English landowner and politician who served as a Member of Parliament.

Other famous Ridleys include Nicholas Ridley (1619-1674), an English playwright and poet, and James Ridley (1736-1765), an English naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Seven Years' War. Humphry Ridley (1653-1708) was an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works.

The surname Ridley is still relatively common in parts of England, particularly in the north-east regions where it originated. It has also spread to other English-speaking countries through emigration over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ridley

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

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

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

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