NameCensus.

UK surname

Ridgley

From an English place name meaning "reed-covered clearing," or from a location near a ridge.

In the 1881 census there were 376 people recorded with the Ridgley surname, ranking it #8,326 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 574, ranked #9,007, down from #8,326 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Newchurch and Risborough, Princes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wycombe.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ridgley is 667 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 52.7%.

1881 census count

376

Ranked #8,326

Modern count

574

2016, ranked #9,007

Peak year

1998

667 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ridgley had 376 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,326 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 574 in 2016, ranked #9,007.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 651 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Ridgley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ridgley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ridgley 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 246 #8,891
1861 historical 300 #8,432
1881 historical 376 #8,326
1891 historical 517 #7,225
1901 historical 503 #8,015
1911 historical 651 #6,434
1997 modern 624 #7,925
1998 modern 667 #7,764
1999 modern 658 #7,874
2000 modern 657 #7,870
2001 modern 643 #7,864
2002 modern 633 #8,133
2003 modern 616 #8,159
2004 modern 604 #8,309
2005 modern 611 #8,162
2006 modern 603 #8,256
2007 modern 592 #8,442
2008 modern 602 #8,392
2009 modern 615 #8,440
2010 modern 622 #8,542
2011 modern 608 #8,597
2012 modern 592 #8,696
2013 modern 628 #8,435
2014 modern 618 #8,601
2015 modern 601 #8,723
2016 modern 574 #9,007

Geography

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Where Ridgleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Newchurch and Risborough, Princes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wycombe. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Newchurch Hampshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Risborough, Princes Buckinghamshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wycombe 006 Wycombe
2 Wycombe 024 Wycombe
3 Wycombe 004 Wycombe
4 Wycombe 012 Wycombe
5 Wycombe 016 Wycombe

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ridgley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ridgley

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Ridgley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Ridgley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Ridgley 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

Ridgley is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Ridgley 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 Ridgley 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 Ridgley, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Ridgley

The surname Ridgley originated in England, likely arising during the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from a place name, potentially referring to someone who resided near a ridge or ridgeline. The earliest forms of the surname were Rigeley, Riggeley, and Riggley.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Ridgley surname appears in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which lists a Robert de Rugeley from Staffordshire. This suggests the name may have originated from the village of Ridgeley, located in that county.

In the 14th century, the surname is found in various manorial records and tax rolls. For example, a William Ridgeley is mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327. Around this time, the spelling of the name began to solidify into its modern form of Ridgley.

During the 16th century, the Ridgley name appeared in several notable records. Thomas Ridgley (1667-1734) was an English dissenting minister and tutor who wrote extensively on theological subjects. Another significant figure was Sir Thomas Ridgley (1565-1624), an English nobleman and member of parliament for Wiltshire.

In the 17th century, the Ridgley surname was found across various parts of England, including Gloucestershire, Somerset, and Wiltshire. Reverend Thomas Ridgley (1667-1734), a prominent dissenting minister and tutor, was born in Wiltshire during this period.

Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, several notable individuals bore the Ridgley surname. These include Samuel Ridgley (1750-1824), an English businessman and banker, and William Ridgley (1765-1837), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars.

While the Ridgley surname has ancient English origins, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora communities. However, the earliest recorded instances and the majority of historical references remain rooted in various regions of England, particularly the Midlands and the West Country.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ridgley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ridgley 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. Buckinghamshire leads with 129 Ridgleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 58.18x.

County Total Index
Buckinghamshire 129 58.18x
Middlesex 80 2.18x
Surrey 21 1.18x
Hampshire 19 2.53x
Lincolnshire 13 2.22x
Shropshire 13 4.10x
Wiltshire 13 4.01x
Herefordshire 12 7.98x
Lancashire 10 0.23x
Essex 9 1.24x
Dorset 7 2.91x
Sussex 6 0.97x
Staffordshire 5 0.40x
Warwickshire 5 0.54x
Worcestershire 5 1.04x
Cambridgeshire 4 1.72x
Huntingdonshire 4 5.49x
Northamptonshire 4 1.16x
Brecknockshire 3 4.09x
Hertfordshire 3 1.19x
Kent 3 0.24x
Berkshire 2 0.73x
Yorkshire 2 0.06x
Bedfordshire 1 0.53x
Cheshire 1 0.12x
Derbyshire 1 0.17x
Durham 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Princes Risborough in Buckinghamshire leads with 34 Ridgleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1144.78x.

Place Total Index
Princes Risborough 34 1144.78x
Wycombe 34 205.69x
Hughenden 33 1460.18x
Frodingham 13 622.01x
Saunderton 10 1886.79x
Colchester St James 9 307.17x
Bow London 8 17.13x
Clerkenwell London 8 9.24x
Enfield 8 33.24x
Stoke Poges 8 296.30x
Fulham London 7 13.16x
Hillingdon 7 59.88x
Little Missenden 7 500.00x
Marden 7 660.38x
Ryde 7 43.34x
Upavon 7 1147.54x
Newington 6 4.43x
St Luke London 6 10.20x
Allensmore 5 684.93x
Birmingham 5 1.62x
Brighton 5 4.01x
Gillingham 5 120.77x
Lambeth 5 1.56x
Amesbury 4 281.69x
Feltham 4 109.29x
Islington London 4 1.13x
Little Bolton 4 7.15x
Newton 4 11.93x
Northampton St Giles 4 30.44x
Ramsey 4 68.61x
St Marylebone London 4 2.04x
Sutton 4 30.94x
Tipton 4 10.55x
Bourn 3 294.12x
Bromfield 3 422.54x
Carshalton 3 43.86x
Friern Barnet 3 37.13x
Hammersmith London 3 3.32x
Hay 3 110.29x
Oldbury 3 12.73x
Richards Castle 3 312.50x
St Anne Soho London 3 14.32x
Stanton Lacy 3 109.49x
Uxbridge 3 71.60x
Berkhampstead 2 35.21x
Bethnal Green London 2 1.26x
Camberwell 2 0.85x
Chilbolton 2 465.12x
Coreley 2 256.41x
Doncaster 2 7.53x
Eltham 2 27.29x
Kensington London 2 0.98x
Millbrook 2 10.57x
Newchurch 2 117.65x
Newport 2 49.02x
Padbury 2 298.51x
Romsley 2 384.62x
Shoreditch London 2 1.26x
Bedford St Peter 1 20.28x
Birkenhead 1 1.55x
Bishop Stortford 1 11.85x
Chelsea London 1 0.90x
Cleobury Mortimer 1 50.00x
Cookham 1 11.66x
East Grinstead 1 11.43x
Frimley 1 19.65x
Longfleet 1 35.84x
Matlock 1 12.97x
Mere 1 27.17x
Portland 1 7.73x
Portsea 1 0.68x
Portsmouth 1 5.78x
Shalfleet 1 68.97x
South Shields 1 10.29x
Southampton St Mary 1 2.12x
St George Hanover 1 2.09x
St Marythe Great 1 133.33x
St Swithin London 1 1111.11x
West Bromwich 1 1.41x
Westleigh 1 10.12x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 19
Elizabeth 15
Sarah 15
Caroline 11
Eliza 11
Ellen 9
Jane 8
Ann 7
Emily 7
Emma 7
Louisa 6
Annie 4
Alice 3
Gertrude 3
Isabella 3
Martha 3
Agnes 2
Amy 2
Anne 2
Clara 2
E. 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Harriet 2
J. 2
Kate 2
Lydia 2
Margaret 2
Minnie 2
Rose 2
Susan 2
Anna 1
Charity 1
Charlie 1
Charlotte 1
Ellice 1
Ethel 1
F. 1
Frances 1
Gage 1
Janette 1
Jemima 1
Katie 1
Kitty 1
L. 1
Lilian 1
Lily 1
Lucy 1
Mabel 1
Zilpah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 22
John 15
Thomas 13
George 11
Henry 8
James 8
Herbert 7
Alfred 6
Samuel 6
Daniel 5
Albert 4
Charles 4
Joseph 4
Walter 4
Arthur 3
Benjamin 3
Cecil 3
Edward 3
Edwin 3
Francis 3
Richard 3
David 2
Ernest 2
Frank 2
Free 2
Jesse 2
W. 2
Allen 1
Amos 1
Cornelius 1
Cromwell 1
Dan 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
G. 1
Gains 1
Harry 1
Hezekiah 1
Hiram 1
Howard 1
J. 1
Jas. 1
Lou 1
Oliver 1
Owen 1
Robert 1
S.F. 1
Snowden 1
Solomon 1
Wm.Arthur 1

FAQ

Ridgley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ridgley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 376 people were recorded with the Ridgley surname. That placed it at #8,326 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ridgley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 574 in 2016. That gives Ridgley a modern rank of #9,007.

What does the Ridgley surname mean?

From an English place name meaning "reed-covered clearing," or from a location near a ridge.

What does the Ridgley map show?

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