NameCensus.

UK surname

Richey

Derived from a place name meaning "riche island" in Old French or from a nickname for a wealthy person.

In the 1881 census there were 120 people recorded with the Richey surname, ranking it #17,756 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 102, ranked #30,722, down from #17,756 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Harborne, Govan Combination and Pittington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Waverley, Shropshire and Sefton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Richey is 129 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 15.0%.

1881 census count

120

Ranked #17,756

Modern count

102

2016, ranked #30,722

Peak year

1891

129 bearers

Map years

6

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Richey had 120 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,756 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 102 in 2016, ranked #30,722.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 129 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Richey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Richey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Richey 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 125 #14,700
1861 historical 119 #18,393
1881 historical 120 #17,756
1891 historical 129 #20,285
1901 historical 75 #25,852
1911 historical 74 #25,423
1997 modern 91 #28,215
1998 modern 106 #26,689
1999 modern 113 #25,913
2000 modern 114 #25,717
2001 modern 105 #26,620
2002 modern 108 #26,698
2003 modern 107 #26,617
2004 modern 99 #28,136
2005 modern 98 #28,325
2006 modern 98 #28,621
2007 modern 96 #29,339
2008 modern 106 #28,016
2009 modern 108 #28,311
2010 modern 110 #28,666
2011 modern 109 #28,653
2012 modern 99 #30,442
2013 modern 98 #31,078
2014 modern 97 #31,518
2015 modern 99 #31,168
2016 modern 102 #30,722

Geography

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Where Richeys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Harborne, Govan Combination, Pittington, Newcastle All Saints and Gateshead. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Waverley, Shropshire, Sefton, Brighton and Hove and North Kesteven. 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 Harborne Worcestershire
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Pittington Durham
4 Newcastle All Saints Northumberland
5 Gateshead Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Waverley 004 Waverley
2 Shropshire 011 Shropshire
3 Sefton 032 Sefton
4 Brighton and Hove 032 Brighton and Hove
5 North Kesteven 008 North Kesteven

Forenames

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First names often paired with Richey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Richey

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Richey, 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 Richey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Richey 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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Richey 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

Richey is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Richey falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Richey 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 Richey, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Richey

The surname Richey has its origins in England and can be traced back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English words "ric" meaning powerful and "ey" meaning an island or dry ground. This surname likely originated as a descriptive name for someone who lived on a wealthy or well-off island or land.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions a landowner named Richeus in Gloucestershire. The name was also present in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire in 1195, referencing a William Richey.

During the 13th century, the surname appeared in various forms such as Riche, Richi, and Richy. It was particularly prevalent in counties like Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, and Somerset in the southwest of England. Some notable early bearers of the name include Sir John Richey, a knight who fought in the Battle of Agincourt in 1415.

As the centuries progressed, the spelling of the surname evolved and became more standardized as Richey. In the 16th century, records show a Richey family residing in the village of Ashbury in Berkshire. During this time, the name also spread to other parts of England, including Yorkshire and Lancashire.

One notable figure from the 17th century was Sir Thomas Richey, a merchant and alderman of London, who lived from 1602 to 1679. In the 18th century, Reverend John Richey, born in 1718, was a prominent clergyman and author from County Antrim, Ireland.

Moving into the 19th century, Michael Richey, born in 1817, was an Irish mathematician and scholar who made significant contributions to the field of geometry. Another notable bearer of the name was Thomas Richey, an American politician from Ohio, who served as a U.S. Representative from 1847 to 1853.

Throughout its history, the surname Richey has also been associated with various place names, such as Richey Creek in Missouri and Richey County in Montana, both named after individuals with the surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Richey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Richey 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. Durham leads with 27 Richeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.63x.

County Total Index
Durham 27 7.63x
Middlesex 21 1.76x
Lancashire 20 1.42x
Essex 19 8.09x
Staffordshire 9 2.24x
Northumberland 8 4.52x
Yorkshire 8 0.68x
Royal Navy 2 14.10x
Berkshire 1 1.12x
Caithness 1 6.14x
Cumberland 1 0.98x
Devon 1 0.40x
Gloucestershire 1 0.43x
Lanarkshire 1 0.26x
Surrey 1 0.17x
Warwickshire 1 0.33x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stockton On Tees in Durham leads with 10 Richeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 58.62x.

Place Total Index
Stockton On Tees 10 58.62x
Harborne 9 69.93x
Spotland 8 50.96x
Bethnal Green London 7 13.54x
Colchester St Giles 7 301.72x
Dawdon 6 137.93x
Thornham 6 789.47x
West Ham 6 11.57x
Byker 5 57.14x
Mile End Old Town 5 26.62x
Bingley 4 53.26x
Sherburn 4 370.37x
Wanstead 4 97.32x
Gateshead 3 11.32x
Paddington London 3 6.86x
Parr 3 59.41x
Ratcliffe London 3 45.66x
Shadforth 3 434.78x
Jesmond 2 80.32x
Leyton 2 49.38x
Mexborough 2 85.47x
Royal Navy 2 16.50x
York St Mary 2 40.98x
Ashton Under Lyne 1 3.24x
Bermondsey 1 2.82x
Birmingham 1 1.00x
Cheltenham 1 5.56x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 4.46x
Dawlish 1 54.05x
Kensington London 1 1.51x
Liverpool 1 1.17x
Low Holme 1 172.41x
Newcastle On Tyne St 1 10.89x
Old Monkland 1 6.55x
Ouston 1 192.31x
Reading St Giles 1 11.42x
St George Martyr 1 49.75x
Westminster St James 1 8.18x
Wick 1 19.01x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 9
George 5
James 5
Thomas 5
Alexander 4
William 4
Wm. 4
Henry 3
Robert 3
Charles 2
Frederick 2
Albert 1
Chas. 1
Edward 1
Fredrick 1
Hanoe 1
Hugh 1
Joseph 1
Owen 1
Peter 1
Richard 1

FAQ

Richey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Richey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 120 people were recorded with the Richey surname. That placed it at #17,756 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Richey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 102 in 2016. That gives Richey a modern rank of #30,722.

What does the Richey surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "riche island" in Old French or from a nickname for a wealthy person.

What does the Richey map show?

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