2000
#13,282
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,107
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.78
Rare Last name
Ryland
A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "rye land" in Old English.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,256 Americans carry the last name Ryland. That puts it at #14,560 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.66 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 151,930 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ryland 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 Ryland with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.3K
1 in 151,930
Census rank
#14,560
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,967 bearers of the surname Ryland in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.66 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 14560th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ryland, the largest self-reported group is White at 76.0%. The next largest groups are Black (15.4%) and Hispanic (4.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ryland
The surname Ryland has its origins in England, dating back to the late 11th century. It is believed to be a locational name derived from the place name "Ryland" or "Ryeland," which referred to a geographical area known for its high-quality wool production. The name may have evolved from the Old English words "ryge," meaning "rye," and "land," suggesting a connection to land suitable for growing rye.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ryland can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Rilande." This historical document was commissioned by William the Conqueror to survey the landholdings and resources of England after the Norman Conquest. The presence of the name in this important record indicates that individuals bearing the surname were already well-established in the region.
During the 13th and 14th centuries, various spellings of the name emerged, including "Rylond," "Rilond," and "Rylande," reflecting the fluid nature of surname spelling in those times. These variations were likely influenced by regional dialects and the preferences of scribes who recorded the name.
One notable individual with the surname Ryland was Sir John Ryland (c. 1465-1524), a prominent merchant and Lord Mayor of London in 1508. He played a significant role in the city's governance and was known for his philanthropic endeavors, including the establishment of a school for underprivileged children.
Another prominent figure was William Ryland (1550-1620), an English clergyman and author. He served as the Bishop of Peterborough and published several theological works, including a commentary on the Book of Psalms.
In the 18th century, John Ryland (1723-1792) was a renowned Baptist minister and theologian. He established the first Baptist Academy in England and played a crucial role in the development of the Baptist movement in the country.
The Ryland family also made significant contributions to the field of education. John Paul Ryland (1789-1856) was a prominent educator and the founder of the Ryland School in Edgbaston, Birmingham, which later became part of the University of Birmingham.
Another notable individual was William Wynne Ryland (1732-1783), an English artist and engraver. He was known for his landscape paintings and engravings, many of which depicted scenes from Wales and the English countryside.
These examples illustrate the historical presence and significance of the surname Ryland across various fields, including commerce, religion, education, and the arts. While the name's origins can be traced back to the late 11th century in England, it has since spread and left its mark on various aspects of British history and culture.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ryland
Among Census respondents with the surname Ryland, the largest self-reported group is White at 76.0%. The next largest groups are Black (15.4%) and Hispanic (4.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Ryland 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 Ryland surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White76.0% · 1,495
- Black or African American15.4% · 302
- Hispanic or Latino4.4% · 87
- Two or more races3.1% · 61
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 13
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 9
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ryland
Ryland 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
#14,579
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,043
-64 bearers (-3.0%)
Per 100,000 0.69
Rank movement Down 1,297 places
2020
#14,560
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,967
-76 bearers (-3.7%)
Per 100,000 0.66
Rank movement Up 19 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #13,282 | 2,107 | 0.78 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #14,579 | 2,043 | 0.69 | -64 bearers (-3.0%) | Down 1,297 places |
| 2020 | #14,560 | 1,967 | 0.66 | -76 bearers (-3.7%) | Up 19 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 Ryland 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 | #14,579 | #14,560 | 0.1% |
| Count | 2,043 | 1,967 | -3.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.69 | 0.66 | -4.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ryland bearers went from 2,043 to 1,967 (-3.7% change). The surname moved up 19 positions in the national ranking, going from #14,579 to #14,560.
FAQ
Ryland surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ryland?
Name Census estimates that about 2,256 living Americans carry the surname Ryland. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 151,930 residents.
How common is Ryland?
Ryland ranks #14,560 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.66 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 1,967 people with the surname Ryland. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,256), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.66 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.66 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 Ryland.
Has Ryland become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ryland went from 2,043 recorded bearers to 1,967. That is a decrease of 76 (-3.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #14,579 to #14,560.
What does the Census say about the background of Ryland?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ryland, the largest self-reported group is White at 76.0%. The next largest groups are Black (15.4%) and Hispanic (4.4%). 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 Ryland in the 2020 Census, accounting for 76.0% (1,495 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ryland appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (76.0%), Black (15.4%), Hispanic (4.4%). 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 Ryland (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 Ryland mean?
A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "rye land" in Old English. 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 Ryland (0.66 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 Ryland?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.