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

Riles, 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 Riles surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Riles in America

Riles is the 13148th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Riles surname appeared 2,328 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Riles.

We can also compare 2010 data for Riles 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 Riles

The surname RILES is believed to have originated in England, with its roots traced back to the 13th century. The name is thought to derive from the Old English word "ryle," which referred to a small stream or rivulet. This suggests that the earliest bearers of the name likely lived near a small waterway or creek.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the RILES surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire, dated around 1273, where it appears as "Rille." This variation in spelling was common during that era, as standardized spelling had not yet been established.

In the 14th century, the surname appears in various forms, such as "Rylle" and "Ryles," in various historical records and manuscripts. For instance, a John Ryles is mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327, indicating the widespread presence of the surname across different regions of England.

The RILES surname has also been associated with several place names, including Ryall in Worcestershire and Ryle in Northamptonshire. These place names likely derived from the same Old English word "ryle," suggesting a connection between the surname and these geographic locations.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the RILES surname. One such person was Sir John Riles (1525-1584), an English soldier and politician who served as a Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another prominent figure was William Riles (1667-1737), a renowned English clockmaker renowned for his innovative timepiece designs.

Other historical figures with the RILES surname include:

1. Thomas Riles (1733-1799), an English botanist and naturalist known for his extensive study of plants native to the British Isles.
2. Mary Riles (1795-1867), a British author and poet who wrote several critically acclaimed works during the Romantic era.
3. James Riles (1842-1918), an American engineer and inventor credited with developing several important innovations in steam engine technology.
4. Elizabeth Riles (1876-1952), a British suffragette and social activist who campaigned tirelessly for women's rights and equality.
5. Henry Riles (1901-1976), an American artist renowned for his landscape paintings and depictions of rural life in the Midwest.

While the RILES surname may have evolved over the centuries, its origins can be traced back to the Old English language and the geographic regions of England where its earliest bearers resided.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Riles

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

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

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

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