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

Ry, 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 Ry surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ry in America

Ry is the 84463rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ry surname appeared 222 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 Ry.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ry 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 Ry

The surname "Ry" has its origins in Sweden, dating back to the late 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old Norse word "ryr," meaning a small stream or a rivulet. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a small waterway or a creek.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "Ry" can be found in the Swedish church records from the late 1500s, where it appears spelled as "Rye." This spelling variant likely reflects the local dialect or pronunciation of the name at the time.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the name "Ry" started to spread across various regions of Sweden, particularly in the central and southern parts of the country. It is noteworthy that the name is often associated with rural areas and farming communities, further strengthening the connection to its potential meaning related to small streams or rivers.

In the 19th century, several notable individuals bore the surname "Ry." One such person was Johan Ry (1819-1892), a Swedish farmer and politician who served as a member of the Riksdag (the national parliament) for several terms.

Another prominent figure with the surname "Ry" was Anna Ry (1854-1928), a Swedish author and women's rights advocate. Her literary works often explored themes of gender equality and social justice, making her a significant figure in the early feminist movement in Sweden.

Moving into the 20th century, the name "Ry" remained relatively uncommon but continued to appear in various contexts. For example, Sven Ry (1901-1976) was a Swedish businessman and industrialist who played a role in the country's economic development during the mid-20th century.

It is also worth mentioning that variations of the name, such as "Rye" and "Ryi," can be found in other Scandinavian countries like Norway and Denmark, suggesting a shared linguistic and cultural heritage among these regions.

While the surname "Ry" may not be among the most common in Sweden today, it has a rich history spanning several centuries and has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including politicians, authors, and entrepreneurs.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ry

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

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

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

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