Ripley
From a place name meaning "strip of land cleared of trees," or referring to someone who lived there.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 10,831 Americans carry the last name Ripley. That puts it at #3,799 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.16 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 31,646 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ripley surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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.
Bearers in the US
11K
1 in 31,646
Census rank
#3,799
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
9.3K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 9,314 bearers of the surname Ripley in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.16 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3799th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ripley, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.1%) and Black (2.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ripley
The surname Ripley is derived from the Old English words "rip" meaning "strip of land" and "leah" meaning "wood" or "clearing." It originated in England, specifically in the counties of Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Derbyshire, where place names such as Ripley existed as early as the 11th century.
The name Ripley first appeared in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The earliest recorded spelling of the surname was "de Ripeleia," referring to someone from the village of Ripley.
One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Hugh de Ripeleia, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1166. Another notable figure was Sir Thomas Ripley, a 15th-century alchemist and philosopher who wrote several treatises on the subject of alchemy.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name Ripley spread across England, and several notable individuals emerged. George Ripley (1415-1490) was a renowned English alchemist and Augustinian canon. Clement Ripley (1570-1619) was an English clergyman and theologian who served as the Rector of Woodstock.
In the 18th century, John Ripley (1697-1758) was a renowned English playwright and author, best known for his comedies "The Modish Husband" and "The Lancashire Witches." Another notable figure was Eleazar Wheelock Ripley (1782-1839), an American Army officer and politician who served as a Brigadier General during the War of 1812.
In the 19th century, George Ripley (1802-1880) was an American literary critic, philosopher, and leader of the Transcendentalist movement. He is best known for founding the utopian community of Brook Farm in West Roxbury, Massachusetts. Roswell Sabine Ripley (1823-1887) was a distinguished American anthropologist and pioneer in the field of racial classification.
The Ripley surname has also been associated with several notable 20th-century figures, including George Ripley (1904-1980), an American cartoonist and creator of the popular comic strip "Li'l Abner," and Deric Ripley (1904-1978), a British actor and playwright known for his work in television and radio.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ripley
Among Census respondents with the surname Ripley, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.1%) and Black (2.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Ripley bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Ripley surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.0%
- Hispanic or Latino3.1%
- Black or African American2.9%
- Two or more races1.8%
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.4%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Ripley surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,799 | #3,799 | 0.0% |
| Count | 9,314 | 9,314 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 3.16 | 3.16 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Ripley bearers went from 9,314 to 9,314 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #3,799 to #3,799.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Ripley
FAQ
Ripley surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Ripley?
The surname Ripley holds position #3,799 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 10,831 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 3.16 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Ripley surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ripley, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.1%) and Black (2.9%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.