NameCensus.

UK surname

Ratcliffe

Derived from a place name meaning "red cliff" in Old English, referring to someone who lived near a red cliff.

In the 1881 census there were 8,266 people recorded with the Ratcliffe surname, ranking it #510 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 10,918, ranked #592, down from #510 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Halifax and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Staffordshire, Derbyshire Dales and Barnsley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ratcliffe is 11,769 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 32.1%.

1881 census count

8,266

Ranked #510

Modern count

10,918

2016, ranked #592

Peak year

1911

11,769 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ratcliffe had 8,266 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #510 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 10,918 in 2016, ranked #592.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 11,769 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Ratcliffe surname distribution map

The map shows where the Ratcliffe surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Ratcliffe surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ratcliffe over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 4,224 #675
1861 historical 4,714 #600
1881 historical 8,266 #510
1891 historical 9,384 #467
1901 historical 10,659 #490
1911 historical 11,769 #415
1997 modern 10,822 #570
1998 modern 11,512 #553
1999 modern 11,650 #552
2000 modern 11,619 #548
2001 modern 11,417 #544
2002 modern 11,566 #551
2003 modern 11,283 #551
2004 modern 11,189 #555
2005 modern 10,951 #562
2006 modern 10,913 #565
2007 modern 10,969 #569
2008 modern 11,000 #571
2009 modern 11,231 #573
2010 modern 11,450 #576
2011 modern 11,274 #578
2012 modern 10,970 #578
2013 modern 11,073 #588
2014 modern 11,166 #585
2015 modern 11,021 #586
2016 modern 10,918 #592

Geography

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Where Ratcliffes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Halifax, Manchester, Leigh and Blackburn. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Staffordshire, Derbyshire Dales and Barnsley. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Leigh Lancashire
5 Blackburn Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Staffordshire 001 East Staffordshire
2 East Staffordshire 002 East Staffordshire
3 Derbyshire Dales 010 Derbyshire Dales
4 East Staffordshire 003 East Staffordshire
5 Barnsley 025 Barnsley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ratcliffe

These lists show first names that appear often with the Ratcliffe surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ratcliffe

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Ratcliffe, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Ratcliffe surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Ratcliffe household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Ratcliffe is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Ratcliffe is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Ratcliffe falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Ratcliffe is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Ratcliffe, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Ratcliffe

The surname Ratcliffe is of English origin, deriving from the Old English words "ræt" meaning "rat" and "clif" meaning "cliff" or "slope." It is believed to have originated as a topographic name, referring to someone who lived near a rat-infested cliff or slope.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Radeclive." This record suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century.

The Ratcliffe surname has strong ties to Lancashire, England, particularly in the areas around Bury and Rochdale. The name is also found in Yorkshire, where the village of Ratcliffe-on-Soar is located.

One notable individual bearing the Ratcliffe name was Sir John Ratcliffe (c. 1451-1527), who served as Lord Chancellor of England under King Richard III. Another prominent figure was Thomas Ratcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex (c. 1490-1557), a prominent military commander during the reign of Henry VIII.

In the 17th century, the name appears in various records, including those of William Ratcliffe (1592-1670), an English Puritan minister and writer, and Sir George Ratcliffe (c. 1610-1670), a Royalist officer during the English Civil War.

The 18th century saw the birth of Thomas Ratcliffe (1744-1821), an English physician and chemist who made significant contributions to the study of gases and the discovery of nitrous oxide.

In the 19th century, John Ratcliffe (1809-1905) was a notable English architect known for his work on several churches and public buildings in Yorkshire.

While the Ratcliffe surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, with notable individuals bearing the name in various countries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ratcliffe families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ratcliffe surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 3,464 Ratcliffes recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.62x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 3,464 3.62x
Yorkshire 1,230 1.54x
Staffordshire 771 2.83x
Cheshire 432 2.43x
Derbyshire 318 2.52x
Middlesex 265 0.33x
Kent 186 0.68x
Gloucestershire 133 0.84x
Nottinghamshire 110 1.01x
Surrey 104 0.26x
Suffolk 100 1.02x
Shropshire 99 1.42x
Durham 96 0.40x
Leicestershire 85 0.95x
Essex 74 0.46x
Northamptonshire 72 0.95x
Warwickshire 71 0.35x
Northumberland 70 0.58x
Lincolnshire 52 0.40x
Cumberland 49 0.71x
Buckinghamshire 40 0.82x
Flintshire 39 1.80x
Hampshire 37 0.22x
Devon 36 0.21x
Huntingdonshire 31 1.94x
Sussex 31 0.23x
Worcestershire 29 0.28x
Norfolk 27 0.22x
Lanarkshire 22 0.08x
Wiltshire 20 0.28x
Berkshire 17 0.28x
Glamorgan 14 0.10x
Hertfordshire 13 0.23x
Bedfordshire 11 0.26x
Isle of Man 11 0.73x
Westmorland 11 0.62x
Denbighshire 10 0.33x
Fife 9 0.19x
Herefordshire 9 0.27x
Cornwall 8 0.09x
Midlothian 8 0.07x
Renfrewshire 8 0.13x
Cambridgeshire 7 0.14x
Radnorshire 7 1.08x
Channel Islands 5 0.21x
Dorset 5 0.09x
Monmouthshire 5 0.09x
Somerset 5 0.04x
Anglesey 4 0.28x
Brecknockshire 3 0.19x
Oxfordshire 3 0.06x
Dumfriesshire 2 0.11x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.01x
Rutland 1 0.17x
West Lothian 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stoke Upon Trent in Staffordshire leads with 190 Ratcliffes recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.58x.

Place Total Index
Stoke Upon Trent 190 6.58x
Bedford 144 71.91x
Blackburn 135 5.30x
Haslingden 120 30.27x
Manchester 119 2.76x
Preston 117 4.57x
Ashton Under Lyne 101 4.83x
Oldham 98 3.17x
Leeds 92 2.04x
Bury 91 8.32x
Haworth 80 42.10x
Oswaldtwistle 76 22.47x
Bradford 75 3.88x
Warrington 68 5.99x
Ince In Makerfield 65 14.59x
Over Darwen 65 8.50x
Great Bolton 63 4.97x
Ovenden 63 17.71x
Halifax 61 5.20x
Little Bolton 60 4.87x
Great Harwood 56 32.36x
Dukinfield 55 6.68x
Hulme 54 2.70x
Spotland 54 5.07x
Westhoughton 54 21.14x
Potterspury 53 174.46x
Bingley 51 10.02x
Salford 50 1.78x
Marple 49 40.08x
Newchurch 49 6.26x
Chorley 48 8.93x
Nottingham St Mary 47 1.67x
Hyde 42 7.99x
Wolstanton 42 5.08x
Lymm 41 31.67x
Wigan 41 3.06x
Cheadle 40 30.58x
Midgley 40 46.95x
Westleigh 40 18.40x
Kingsley 39 76.83x
Accrington 36 4.14x
Halliwell 36 10.33x
Leek Lowe 36 9.94x
Liverpool 36 0.62x
Pennington In Leigh 35 19.05x
Wendover 35 66.57x
Adlington 34 37.93x
Heaton Norris 34 6.24x
Newton 34 4.61x
Islington London 33 0.42x
Glossop Dale 31 5.24x
Hunslet 30 2.41x
Sheffield 30 1.18x
Stansfield 30 10.20x
Tottington Lower End 30 6.59x
Eccleston In Prescot 28 5.83x
Rochdale 28 40.10x
Widnes 28 4.05x
Belper 27 11.03x
Cirencester 27 12.60x
Habergham Eaves 27 3.09x
Newcastle Under Lyme 27 5.60x
St Neots 27 31.01x
Kensington London 26 0.58x
Nether Hallam 26 2.40x
Wardleworth 26 4.75x
Everton 25 0.82x
Toxteth Park 25 0.77x
Urpeth 25 53.46x
Burnley 24 2.98x
Codnor Loscoe 24 23.99x
Elton 24 7.26x
Lowton 24 36.86x
Stockport 24 2.62x
West Ardsley 24 24.94x
Colne 23 8.06x
Hammersmith London 23 1.16x
Huddersfield 23 1.97x
Wolverhampton 23 1.10x
Battersea 22 0.74x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Ratcliffe surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 710
Elizabeth 367
Sarah 339
Ann 186
Alice 172
Ellen 166
Jane 146
Annie 131
Hannah 122
Emma 113
Martha 112
Margaret 109
Eliza 107
Emily 48
Ada 45
Catherine 44
Harriet 43
Fanny 37
Edith 36
Louisa 34
Betsy 32
Maria 31
Agnes 28
Charlotte 28
Lucy 28
Susannah 28
Betty 27
Clara 27
Florence 27
Amelia 26
Nancy 26
Isabella 25
Rebecca 22
Anne 21
Elizth. 20
Caroline 19
Esther 17
Grace 17
Kate 17
Minnie 17
Julia 16
Matilda 16
Frances 14
Harriett 14
Eleanor 13
Bertha 12
Eliz. 12
Ethel 12
Ruth 12
Susan 12

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Ratcliffe surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 554
William 449
James 354
Thomas 330
George 233
Joseph 182
Charles 133
Henry 126
Richard 110
Robert 97
Edward 78
Samuel 75
Arthur 57
Alfred 54
Walter 54
Albert 48
Frederick 42
Wm. 36
Thos. 34
Frank 30
Peter 29
Herbert 28
Edwin 26
Fred 26
Harry 25
Ralph 23
Daniel 19
Ellis 19
Ernest 19
David 18
Francis 16
Tom 14
Jno. 13
Benjamin 12
Geo. 12
Jonathan 12
Isaac 11
Edmund 10
Percy 10
Sidney 9
Squire 9
Jesse 8
Willie 8
Willm. 8
Abraham 7
Edgar 7
Eli 7
Hiram 7
Joshua 7
Nathan 7

FAQ

Ratcliffe surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ratcliffe surname in 1881?

In 1881, 8,266 people were recorded with the Ratcliffe surname. That placed it at #510 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ratcliffe surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 10,918 in 2016. That gives Ratcliffe a modern rank of #592.

What does the Ratcliffe surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "red cliff" in Old English, referring to someone who lived near a red cliff.

What does the Ratcliffe map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Ratcliffe bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.