2000
#11,239
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,585
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.96
Rare Last name
Ritch
Derived from a Middle English occupational name for a maker or seller of candles, from Old English "rycce," meaning "rich."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,648 Americans carry the last name Ritch. That puts it at #12,759 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.77 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 129,439 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ritch surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Ritch with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.6K
1 in 129,439
Census rank
#12,759
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,309 bearers of the surname Ritch in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.77 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 12759th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ritch, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.1%. The next largest groups are Black (5.2%) and Hispanic (5.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ritch
The surname Ritch is believed to have originated in Scotland, likely in the 13th or 14th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "rycc," meaning "rich" or "wealthy." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who was considered prosperous or of high social standing.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ritch can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1366, which mention a "William Ryche." This document provides evidence that the name was in use in Scotland during the Middle Ages.
In the 16th century, the Ritch surname appears in various Scottish records, such as the Register of the Privy Council of Scotland (1545-1625), where individuals with the name are mentioned in connection with legal matters or land disputes.
A notable figure bearing the surname Ritch was Sir William Ritch, a Scottish landowner and politician who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He served as a member of the Parliament of Scotland and was involved in various legal disputes over property rights.
Another historical reference to the Ritch name can be found in the records of the Scottish Burghs, which document the proceedings of Scottish municipal councils. In these records, individuals with the surname Ritch are mentioned in connection with trade and commerce in various Scottish towns and cities.
In the 18th century, the Ritch surname gained prominence in the Scottish Highlands, particularly in the regions of Argyll and Inverness-shire. One notable individual from this period was John Ritch (1744-1825), a Scottish minister and author who wrote several works on theology and church history.
The 19th century saw the Ritch surname spread beyond Scotland, with individuals bearing the name migrating to other parts of the United Kingdom and even to North America. One notable figure from this period was James Ritch (1808-1891), a Scottish-born Canadian politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.
Throughout its history, the Ritch surname has been associated with various professions, including landowners, merchants, clergymen, and politicians. While the name may have originated from a reference to wealth or social status, it has since become a well-established surname in its own right, with a rich heritage rooted in the history of Scotland.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ritch
Among Census respondents with the surname Ritch, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.1%. The next largest groups are Black (5.2%) and Hispanic (5.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Ritch bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 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.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
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 Ritch surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White84.1% · 1,942
- Black or African American5.2% · 121
- Hispanic or Latino5.1% · 118
- Two or more races4.6% · 106
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 14
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 8
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ritch
Ritch appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#11,380
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,771
+186 bearers (+7.2%)
Per 100,000 0.94
Rank movement Down 141 places
2020
#12,759
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,309
-462 bearers (-16.7%)
Per 100,000 0.77
Rank movement Down 1,379 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #11,239 | 2,585 | 0.96 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #11,380 | 2,771 | 0.94 | +186 bearers (+7.2%) | Down 141 places |
| 2020 | #12,759 | 2,309 | 0.77 | -462 bearers (-16.7%) | Down 1,379 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Ritch surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #11,380 | #12,759 | -12.1% |
| Count | 2,771 | 2,309 | -16.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.94 | 0.77 | -17.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ritch bearers went from 2,771 to 2,309 (-16.7% change). The surname moved down 1,379 positions in the national ranking, going from #11,380 to #12,759.
FAQ
Ritch surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ritch?
Name Census estimates that about 2,648 living Americans carry the surname Ritch. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 129,439 residents.
How common is Ritch?
Ritch ranks #12,759 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.77 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,309 people with the surname Ritch. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,648), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.77 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.77 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Ritch.
Has Ritch become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ritch went from 2,771 recorded bearers to 2,309. That is a decrease of 462 (-16.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #11,380 to #12,759.
What does the Census say about the background of Ritch?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ritch, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.1%. The next largest groups are Black (5.2%) and Hispanic (5.1%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Ritch in the 2020 Census, accounting for 84.1% (1,942 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ritch appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (84.1%), Black (5.2%), Hispanic (5.1%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Ritch (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Ritch mean?
Derived from a Middle English occupational name for a maker or seller of candles, from Old English "rycce," meaning "rich." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Ritch (0.77 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Ritch?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.