Ridley Family History

Ridley Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from any of various places called Ridley (Cheshire, Kent, Northumberland) or Ridley Hall in Terling (Essex). The Cheshire, Kent, and Northumberland placenames probably derive from Old English (ge)ryd(d) ‘cleared’ + lēah ‘woodland clearing’.

The Essex placename may derive from Old English rēad ‘red’ + lēah. A Northumberland family of this name included Bishop Nicholas Ridley who was burned at the stake in 1555 for refusing to recant his Protestant beliefs.

Possibly also an altered form of Swiss German Riedle or Riedler (see Ridler).

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022

Similar surnames: Riley, Ripley, Radley, Ridler, Gidley, Risley, Willey, Grindley, Iley, Sidney

231K	Birth, Marriage, and Deaths
15K	Military Records
14K	Immigration Records
162K	Census and Voter Lists
345K	Member Trees

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Where is the Ridley family from?

You can see how Ridley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Ridley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Ridley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 203 Ridley families living in Ontario. This was about 63% of all the recorded Ridley's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Ridley families in 1911.

Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Ridley surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

View Census Data for Ridley

What did your Ridley ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Ridley. 41% of Ridley men worked as a Farmer and 22% of Ridley women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Ridley were Farmers son and Teacher.

View Census Data for Ridley

Data not to scale

We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Farmer

41%

Labourer

15%

Clerk

Farmers son

Stenographer

22%

Income

18%

Housekeeper

14%

Teacher

14%

What Ridley family records will you find?

Census Record

There are 162K census records available for the last name Ridley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Ridley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Ridley

Passenger List

There are 14K immigration records available for the last name Ridley. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Ridley immigration records

Military Records

There are 15K military records available for the last name Ridley. For the veterans among your Ridley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Ridley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Ridley family history

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What is the average Ridley lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Ridley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1947, and highest in 1940. The average life expectancy for Ridley in 1940 was 100, and 72 in 2004.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Ridley family tree

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Ridley Surname Meaning

Possibly also an altered form of Swiss German Riedle or Riedler (see Ridler).

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022

Where is the Ridley family from?

What did your Ridley ancestors do for a living?

Data not to scale

We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Farmer

41%

Labourer

15%

Clerk

Farmers son

Stenographer

22%

Income

18%

Housekeeper

14%

Teacher

14%

What Ridley family records will you find?

What is the average Ridley lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Ridley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1947, and highest in 1940. The average life expectancy for Ridley in 1940 was 100, and 72 in 2004.

Ridley Family History

Ridley Surname Meaning

769,000 record(s) for Ridley

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Where is the Ridley family from?

What did your Ridley ancestors do for a living?

Top Male Occupations In 1921

Top Female Occupations In 1921

What Ridley family records will you find?

Census Record

Passenger List

Military Records

You've only scratched the surface of Ridley family history

What is the average Ridley lifespan?

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Ridley family tree

Search for another surname

Ridley Surname Meaning

769,000 record(s) for Ridley

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Where is the Ridley family from?

What did your Ridley ancestors do for a living?

Top Male Occupations In 1921

Top Female Occupations In 1921

What Ridley family records will you find?

Census Record

Passenger List

Military Records

You've only scratched the surface of Ridley family history

What is the average Ridley lifespan?

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Ridley family tree

Search for another surname