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

Risby, 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 Risby surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Risby in America

Risby is the 48901st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Risby surname appeared 431 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Risby.

We can also compare 2010 data for Risby 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 Risby

The surname Risby is believed to have originated in England, likely deriving from the place name Risby, a small village in West Yorkshire. This place name is thought to have been derived from the Old English words "ryge" meaning rye and "by" meaning a farmstead or village, suggesting that the name may have referred to a settlement where rye was grown.

One of the earliest known references to the name Risby can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is recorded as "Riseberia." This entry indicates that the name and the settlement it referred to existed during the 11th century.

In the 13th century, a record from 1273 mentions a John de Ryseby, indicating that the surname had taken on a more recognizable form by this time. The use of the prefix "de" suggests that John was from the village of Risby.

During the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, including Riseby, Ryseby, and Rysby, reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation that were common during this period. One notable individual from this time was William de Risby, a landowner in Yorkshire who was mentioned in records from the late 1300s.

In the 16th century, the name was recorded as Risbey and Risbie, with one notable figure being Thomas Risbey, a merchant from London who lived from 1525 to 1589.

The 17th century saw the emergence of the spelling Risby, which became more standardized. One prominent individual with this surname was Robert Risby, a clergyman and author who lived from 1601 to 1670 and wrote several theological works.

In the 18th century, the name was well-established, with individuals such as Samuel Risby (1717-1791), a wealthy landowner in Lincolnshire, and Mary Risby (1743-1819), a noted philanthropist and supporter of children's education in Yorkshire.

As the centuries progressed, the name Risby continued to be found in various parts of England, with individuals bearing this surname making contributions in fields ranging from literature to politics. Some notable figures include the author William Risby (1802-1875), the politician John Risby (1845-1923), and the artist Emily Risby (1867-1942).

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Risby

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

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

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

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