NameCensus.

UK surname

Ratledge

A surname derived from a place name meaning "red wood" or "red clearing".

In the 1881 census there were 93 people recorded with the Ratledge surname, ranking it #20,593 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 146, ranked #24,173, down from #20,593 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Greens Norton, Towcester and Gayton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ceredigion, South Northamptonshire and Torridge.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ratledge is 170 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 57.0%.

1881 census count

93

Ranked #20,593

Modern count

146

2016, ranked #24,173

Peak year

1911

170 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ratledge had 93 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,593 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 146 in 2016, ranked #24,173.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 170 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Ratledge surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ratledge surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ratledge 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 51 #24,096
1861 historical 98 #21,388
1881 historical 93 #20,593
1891 historical 129 #20,285
1901 historical 148 #18,212
1911 historical 170 #16,510
1997 modern 164 #19,944
1998 modern 167 #20,258
1999 modern 168 #20,312
2000 modern 162 #20,735
2001 modern 158 #20,788
2002 modern 156 #21,348
2003 modern 152 #21,486
2004 modern 155 #21,352
2005 modern 147 #22,057
2006 modern 143 #22,619
2007 modern 148 #22,406
2008 modern 153 #22,132
2009 modern 148 #23,141
2010 modern 161 #22,385
2011 modern 161 #22,187
2012 modern 153 #22,963
2013 modern 153 #23,314
2014 modern 151 #23,745
2015 modern 152 #23,507
2016 modern 146 #24,173

Geography

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Where Ratledges are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Greens Norton, Towcester, Gayton, Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory and Brackley St James and St Peter, Whitfield, Syresham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ceredigion, South Northamptonshire, Torridge, Walsall and Corby. 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 Greens Norton Northamptonshire
2 Towcester Northamptonshire
3 Gayton Northamptonshire
4 Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory Northamptonshire
5 Brackley St James and St Peter, Whitfield, Syresham Northamptonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ceredigion 005 Ceredigion
2 South Northamptonshire 001 South Northamptonshire
3 Torridge 008 Torridge
4 Walsall 014 Walsall
5 Corby 009 Corby

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ratledge

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ratledge

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Ratledge, 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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Ratledge surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Ratledge household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Ratledge is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Ratledge is most concentrated in decile 4 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Ratledge falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Ratledge is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Ratledge

The surname Ratledge is of English origin, with roots tracing back to the late medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from a place name referring to a clearing or open space in a forest or woodland area where deer and other animals would graze.

The name is thought to have originated in the county of Cheshire, in northwest England, where several small villages and hamlets bore variations of the name, such as Ratcliffe, Radcliff, and Radcliffe. These place names are composed of the Old English elements "ræd" or "rad," meaning a clearing or open space, and "clif," meaning a cliff or slope.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where a landowner named Radulf de Radeclive is mentioned as holding lands in Cheshire. This entry suggests that the name had already become established as a surname by the late 11th century.

In the 13th century, records show a Robert de Radeclyve holding lands in the township of Radcliffe, near Bury, in Lancashire. This area was likely the source of the surname for many Ratledge families.

Over the centuries, various spellings of the name emerged, including Ratcliffe, Radcliffe, Radclyffe, and Ratledge. One notable figure bearing the name was Thomas Ratcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex (1526-1583), an English nobleman and military commander who served under Queen Elizabeth I.

Another individual of note was John Ratledge (c. 1570-1655), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Principal of Brasenose College, Oxford, from 1612 to 1642.

In the 17th century, a Ratledge family settled in Virginia, with Richard Ratledge (c. 1620-1680) becoming a prominent planter and landowner in York County.

During the English Civil War, Sir George Radcliffe (1593-1657), a staunch Royalist, fought for King Charles I and was later appointed Governor of the Isle of Man.

Finally, in more recent times, Ann Radcliffe (1764-1823) was a well-known English author and pioneer of the Gothic novel, best known for works such as "The Mysteries of Udolpho" and "The Italian."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ratledge families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ratledge 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. Northamptonshire leads with 55 Ratledges recorded in 1881 and an index of 64.46x.

County Total Index
Northamptonshire 55 64.46x
Lancashire 21 1.95x
Staffordshire 8 2.61x
Yorkshire 7 0.78x
Lincolnshire 1 0.69x
Middlesex 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Greens Norton in Northamptonshire leads with 24 Ratledges recorded in 1881 and an index of 8888.89x.

Place Total Index
Greens Norton 24 8888.89x
Gayton 11 6111.11x
Heap 10 175.13x
Hopwood 10 709.22x
Audley 8 264.03x
Blisworth 6 1818.18x
Tiffield 5 6250.00x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 4 47.79x
Paulerspury 4 1142.86x
Heeley 2 73.26x
Towcester 2 227.27x
Adstone 1 2000.00x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 5.85x
Huddersfield 1 7.63x
Norwood 1 48.31x
Slapton 1 2000.00x
Washingborough 1 434.78x
Whittlebury 1 666.67x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 7
William 6
John 5
Joseph 3
Thomas 3
Fred 2
Harold 2
James 2
Nathan 2
Richard 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Clement 1
David 1
Dick 1
Edwin 1
Eli 1
Emanuel 1
Ephraim 1
Frank 1
Fred. 1
Michael 1
Sydney 1
Tom 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Ratledge households.

FAQ

Ratledge surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ratledge surname in 1881?

In 1881, 93 people were recorded with the Ratledge surname. That placed it at #20,593 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ratledge surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 146 in 2016. That gives Ratledge a modern rank of #24,173.

What does the Ratledge surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name meaning "red wood" or "red clearing".

What does the Ratledge map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Ratledge 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.