NameCensus.

UK surname

Riddiough

A variant spelling of the English surname Rudge meaning someone who lived near a ridge.

In the 1881 census there were 151 people recorded with the Riddiough surname, ranking it #15,419 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 185, ranked #20,652, down from #15,419 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Calverley, Kildwick and Bradford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Craven, Redcar and Cleveland and Barnsley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Riddiough is 270 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 22.5%.

1881 census count

151

Ranked #15,419

Modern count

185

2016, ranked #20,652

Peak year

1911

270 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Riddiough had 151 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,419 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 185 in 2016, ranked #20,652.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 270 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Riddiough surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Riddiough surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Riddiough 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 18 #30,094
1861 historical 28 #30,405
1881 historical 151 #15,419
1891 historical 210 #14,412
1901 historical 247 #13,238
1911 historical 270 #12,273
1997 modern 227 #16,267
1998 modern 229 #16,657
1999 modern 227 #16,834
2000 modern 215 #17,388
2001 modern 214 #17,211
2002 modern 216 #17,447
2003 modern 217 #17,176
2004 modern 209 #17,706
2005 modern 199 #18,198
2006 modern 204 #18,051
2007 modern 206 #18,142
2008 modern 215 #17,809
2009 modern 216 #18,120
2010 modern 211 #18,774
2011 modern 207 #18,841
2012 modern 193 #19,665
2013 modern 190 #20,201
2014 modern 192 #20,230
2015 modern 187 #20,502
2016 modern 185 #20,652

Geography

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Where Riddioughs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Calverley, Kildwick, Bradford, Whalley and Carleton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Craven, Redcar and Cleveland 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 Calverley Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Kildwick Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Whalley Lancashire
5 Carleton Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Craven 008 Craven
2 Redcar and Cleveland 010 Redcar and Cleveland
3 Barnsley 007 Barnsley
4 Barnsley 030 Barnsley
5 Redcar and Cleveland 006 Redcar and Cleveland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Riddiough

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Riddiough

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Riddiough surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Riddiough household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Riddiough 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

Riddiough is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Riddiough 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 Riddiough is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 40-50 mbit/s.

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

7
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Riddiough

The surname RIDDIOUGH originated in England, with its earliest known records dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "ryd" meaning a clearing or a stretch of open ground, and "hough" referring to a ridge or a hill.

RIDDIOUGH is thought to have been initially used as a locational surname, given to individuals residing in or near a clearing on a ridge or a hill. The name may have also been influenced by the Old Norse word "haugr," which means a mound or a burial mound.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the RIDDIOUGH surname can be found in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Leigh, Lancashire, dating back to 1587. The entry records the baptism of a child named John Riddiough.

In the 17th century, the RIDDIOUGH surname appeared in various spellings, such as Riddihough, Riddhough, and Riddihalgh, reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling at the time.

A notable figure bearing the RIDDIOUGH surname was John Riddiough, a wealthy landowner and merchant from Bolton, Lancashire, who lived in the late 17th century and was known for his philanthropic efforts in supporting local churches and schools.

Another prominent individual with this surname was William Riddiough (1741-1815), a British army officer who served during the American Revolutionary War and later became a member of parliament for Nottingham.

In the 19th century, the RIDDIOUGH surname was found in various parts of England, particularly in Lancashire, Yorkshire, and Staffordshire. One notable bearer of this name was Samuel Riddiough (1823-1889), a successful industrialist and entrepreneur from Oldham, Lancashire, who established a thriving textile manufacturing business.

Another individual of note was Elizabeth Riddiough (1853-1932), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights, who founded one of the first girls' schools in Manchester and played a significant role in the suffragette movement.

The RIDDIOUGH surname was also found in historical records from other parts of the United Kingdom, such as Scotland and Wales, indicating the migration and spread of the name over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Riddiough families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Riddiough 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. Yorkshire leads with 109 Riddioughs recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.47x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 109 7.47x
Lancashire 41 2.35x
Surrey 1 0.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Great Little Marsden in Lancashire leads with 24 Riddioughs recorded in 1881 and an index of 299.63x.

Place Total Index
Great Little Marsden 24 299.63x
Glusburn 23 2804.88x
Carlton In Skipton 22 2588.24x
Bradford 18 50.95x
Manningham 15 83.43x
Shipley 11 145.31x
Whalley 8 313.73x
Barnsley 7 46.48x
Colne 7 134.36x
Gomersal 5 73.42x
Keighley 3 19.28x
Horton In Bradford 2 8.78x
Hulme 2 5.48x
Wortley In Bramley 2 17.30x
Liversedge 1 15.38x
Woking 1 23.09x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 10
Elizabeth 9
Sarah 8
Alice 3
Ann 3
Ellen 3
Emma 3
Margaret 3
Martha 3
Anne 2
Annie 2
Edith 2
Fanny 2
Harriet 2
Maria 2
Philis 2
Rebecca 2
Sophia 2
Susannah 2
Ada 1
Bertha 1
Eliz 1
Elizth. 1
Emily 1
Etty 1
Frances 1
Hannah 1
Hetty 1
Isabella 1
Jane 1
Leah 1
Lucy 1
Nancy 1
Rose 1
Rowena 1
Susanah 1
Tryphenia 1
Vina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 11
William 9
Joseph 5
Daniel 4
Thomas 4
Walter 4
Christopher 3
Arthur 2
Charles 2
Hartley 2
Herbert 2
James 2
Richard 2
Alfred 1
Ben 1
Edward 1
Frank 1
Fred. 1
Frederick 1
George 1
Hampden 1
Henry 1
Horatio 1
Jesse 1
Merrit 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Walmsley 1

FAQ

Riddiough surname: questions and answers

How common was the Riddiough surname in 1881?

In 1881, 151 people were recorded with the Riddiough surname. That placed it at #15,419 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Riddiough surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 185 in 2016. That gives Riddiough a modern rank of #20,652.

What does the Riddiough surname mean?

A variant spelling of the English surname Rudge meaning someone who lived near a ridge.

What does the Riddiough map show?

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