NameCensus.

UK surname

Riddoch

A Scottish surname derived from a place name of uncertain origin.

In the 1881 census there were 359 people recorded with the Riddoch surname, ranking it #8,614 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 623, ranked #8,461, up from #8,614 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Grange, Govan Combination and Keith. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Keith and Fife Keith, Rural Keith and Strathisla and Portsoy, Fordyce and Cornhill.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Riddoch is 661 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 73.5%.

1881 census count

359

Ranked #8,614

Modern count

623

2016, ranked #8,461

Peak year

1999

661 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Riddoch had 359 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,614 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 623 in 2016, ranked #8,461.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 450 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Riddoch surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Riddoch surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Riddoch 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 159 #12,400
1861 historical 198 #12,114
1881 historical 359 #8,614
1891 historical 356 #9,697
1901 historical 450 #8,700
1911 historical 40 #28,913
1997 modern 605 #8,094
1998 modern 637 #8,026
1999 modern 661 #7,845
2000 modern 652 #7,916
2001 modern 631 #7,959
2002 modern 653 #7,915
2003 modern 621 #8,112
2004 modern 622 #8,126
2005 modern 611 #8,162
2006 modern 609 #8,193
2007 modern 621 #8,140
2008 modern 622 #8,188
2009 modern 628 #8,299
2010 modern 644 #8,312
2011 modern 626 #8,402
2012 modern 621 #8,359
2013 modern 618 #8,538
2014 modern 631 #8,442
2015 modern 624 #8,460
2016 modern 623 #8,461

Geography

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Where Riddochs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Grange, Govan Combination, Keith, Rothiemay and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Keith and Fife Keith, Rural Keith and Strathisla, Portsoy, Fordyce and Cornhill, Cullen, Portknockie, Findochty, Drybridge and Berryhillock and Rafford, Dallas, Dyke to Dava. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Grange Banff
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Keith Banff
4 Rothiemay Banff
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Keith and Fife Keith Moray
2 Rural Keith and Strathisla Moray
3 Portsoy, Fordyce and Cornhill Aberdeenshire
4 Cullen, Portknockie, Findochty, Drybridge and Berryhillock Moray
5 Rafford, Dallas, Dyke to Dava Moray

Forenames

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First names often paired with Riddoch

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Riddoch

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Riddoch is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Riddoch is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Riddoch falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Riddoch is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Riddoch

The surname Riddoch has its origins in Scotland, dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "rydding," which means a clearing or a meadow. This suggests that the name may have been originally given to someone who lived in a clearing or a meadow.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Riddoch can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a collection of homage rolls written during the Scottish Wars of Independence. The name appears as "Riddohc," indicating that it may have been spelled differently in those times.

In the 14th century, the name Riddoch is mentioned in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, which were financial records kept by the Scottish government. This suggests that the Riddoch family may have held some prominence or wealth during that period.

The name Riddoch has also been linked to several place names in Scotland, such as Riddochhill and Riddochmoss. These place names likely derived from the surname itself, indicating that the Riddoch family may have owned or resided in these areas.

One notable person with the surname Riddoch was John Riddoch (1807-1890), a Scottish-born Australian pastoralist and winemaker. He played a significant role in the development of the wine industry in South Australia and was instrumental in establishing the Coonawarra wine region.

Another prominent figure was Sir John Riddoch (1862-1934), a Scottish-born Australian businessman and politician. He served as a member of the Australian House of Representatives and was involved in various business ventures, including mining and real estate.

In the literary world, Alastair Riddoch (1942-2017) was a Scottish author and journalist who wrote several books on Scottish culture and history. He was also a prominent figure in the Scottish National Party.

James Riddoch (1845-1917) was a Scottish-born Australian businessman and philanthropist. He made significant contributions to the education system in South Australia and was involved in various charitable organizations.

The surname Riddoch has also been found in historical records from other parts of the world, such as the United States and Canada, indicating that members of the family may have immigrated to these countries over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Riddoch families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Riddoch 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. Banffshire leads with 168 Riddochs recorded in 1881 and an index of 231.92x.

County Total Index
Banffshire 168 231.92x
Lanarkshire 42 3.72x
Perthshire 36 22.97x
Aberdeenshire 32 9.89x
Midlothian 27 5.77x
Morayshire 24 44.23x
Angus 7 2.16x
Stirlingshire 7 5.43x
Fife 4 1.93x
Kincardineshire 4 9.41x
Roxburghshire 4 6.32x
Cheshire 1 0.13x
Kent 1 0.08x
Ross-shire 1 1.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Alvah in Banffshire leads with 43 Riddochs recorded in 1881 and an index of 2638.04x.

Place Total Index
Alvah 43 2638.04x
Grange 28 1320.75x
Rothiemay 25 1524.39x
Auchterarder 20 456.62x
Govan 20 7.16x
Keith 15 194.30x
Rathven 15 110.21x
Marnoch 13 334.19x
Deskford 11 1057.69x
Elgin 11 104.17x
Penicuik 11 172.96x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 9 4.78x
Huntly 9 171.10x
Rothes 8 301.89x
Falkirk 7 23.22x
Barony 6 2.10x
Gamrie 6 74.17x
Bothwell 5 16.32x
Comrie 5 223.21x
Hamilton 5 15.87x
Kilmadock 5 138.89x
New Monkland 5 14.97x
St Vigeans 5 28.64x
Durris 4 327.87x
Edinburgh St Marys 4 44.00x
Elie 4 493.83x
Forglen 4 449.44x
Forres 4 70.18x
Inverkeithny 4 363.64x
Inverurie 4 109.29x
Jedburgh 4 64.52x
Ellon 3 67.42x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 2 3.31x
Drumblade 2 175.44x
Fordyce 2 38.39x
Lumphanan 2 147.06x
Montrose 2 10.20x
Perth West Church 2 26.88x
Aberdeen Old Machar 1 1.48x
Aboyne 1 58.48x
Auchterless 1 38.91x
Banff 1 15.90x
Blackford 1 52.08x
Bromborough 1 62.50x
Cadder 1 11.99x
Crieff 1 17.15x
Cullen 1 37.31x
Culsalmond 1 101.01x
Edinburgh High Church 1 34.01x
Edinburgh St Georges 1 10.30x
Forgue 1 34.48x
Glass 1 81.30x
Glenmuick Tullich 1 42.92x
Kincardine 1 62.11x
King Edward 1 26.81x
Monquhitter 1 29.85x
Muthill 1 48.78x
Ratho 1 45.87x
Speymouth 1 126.58x
Stornoway 1 8.00x
Turriff 1 19.16x
Woolwich 1 2.27x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Alice 1
Anne 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 Riddoch households.

Occupation Count
Scholar 1
Waitress 1

FAQ

Riddoch surname: questions and answers

How common was the Riddoch surname in 1881?

In 1881, 359 people were recorded with the Riddoch surname. That placed it at #8,614 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Riddoch surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 623 in 2016. That gives Riddoch a modern rank of #8,461.

What does the Riddoch surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from a place name of uncertain origin.

What does the Riddoch map show?

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