NameCensus.

UK surname

Ridler

A surname derived from an Old English word meaning "interpreter" or "puzzler".

In the 1881 census there were 748 people recorded with the Ridler surname, ranking it #4,914 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 966, ranked #5,955, down from #4,914 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet, and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Gloucester, Forest of Dean and Tewkesbury.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ridler is 1,009 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 29.1%.

1881 census count

748

Ranked #4,914

Modern count

966

2016, ranked #5,955

Peak year

1999

1,009 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ridler had 748 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,914 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 966 in 2016, ranked #5,955.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 985 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Ridler surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ridler surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ridler 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 535 #4,703
1861 historical 532 #4,936
1881 historical 748 #4,914
1891 historical 847 #4,823
1901 historical 920 #5,063
1911 historical 985 #4,600
1997 modern 963 #5,658
1998 modern 1,006 #5,647
1999 modern 1,009 #5,674
2000 modern 989 #5,738
2001 modern 977 #5,681
2002 modern 996 #5,710
2003 modern 969 #5,741
2004 modern 975 #5,710
2005 modern 968 #5,679
2006 modern 964 #5,722
2007 modern 941 #5,892
2008 modern 950 #5,879
2009 modern 971 #5,896
2010 modern 988 #5,929
2011 modern 978 #5,916
2012 modern 952 #5,968
2013 modern 993 #5,861
2014 modern 980 #5,957
2015 modern 963 #5,999
2016 modern 966 #5,955

Geography

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Where Ridlers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet,, London parishes and St Philip and Jacob. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Gloucester, Forest of Dean and Tewkesbury. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet, Gloucestershire
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 St Philip and Jacob Gloucestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Gloucester 011 Gloucester
2 Forest of Dean 004 Forest of Dean
3 Tewkesbury 006 Tewkesbury
4 Gloucester 009 Gloucester
5 Forest of Dean 002 Forest of Dean

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ridler

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ridler

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Ridler surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Ridler household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Ridler 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

Ridler 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

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

Meaning and origin of Ridler

The surname Ridler is an English occupational name derived from the Middle English word "ridder," which means a sieve-maker or sieve-seller. It originated in the late 12th century and was most prevalent in the counties of Devon, Somerset, and Gloucestershire.

One of the earliest known records of the name Ridler can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Somerset from 1275, where a William le Riddere is mentioned. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also include references to a Roger le Riddere and a John le Ridder.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Ryddere, Ridder, and Ridere, reflecting the regional variations in spelling and pronunciation. The Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1332 list a John Ridere, while the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 include a Walter le Ryddere.

The surname Ridler may also have derived from place names like Rydder in Derbyshire or Ryder in Yorkshire. Historical records show a John de Ryder from Yorkshire in 1379 and a William de Ryder from Derbyshire in 1413.

One notable figure was Richard Ridler (c. 1516-1594), an English churchman and academic who served as the Master of University College, Oxford, from 1564 to 1594. Another prominent individual was George Ridler (1835-1904), a British publisher and editor who co-founded the publishing house Ridler & Co. in London.

Other historical figures bearing the surname Ridler include William Ridler (1619-1700), an English clergyman and author; John Ridler (1702-1784), an English antiquary and writer; and Edward Ridler (1675-1737), an English priest and academic who served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ridler families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ridler 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. Gloucestershire leads with 243 Ridlers recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.07x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 243 17.07x
Somerset 119 10.19x
Middlesex 83 1.14x
Devon 81 5.36x
Surrey 53 1.50x
Glamorgan 48 3.80x
Yorkshire 28 0.39x
Lancashire 20 0.23x
Kent 17 0.69x
Monmouthshire 11 2.10x
Hampshire 9 0.61x
Lanarkshire 9 0.38x
Worcestershire 9 0.95x
Carmarthenshire 4 1.31x
Herefordshire 3 1.01x
Sussex 2 0.16x
Cheshire 1 0.06x
Durham 1 0.05x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.60x
Staffordshire 1 0.04x
Warwickshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bristol St Philip Jacob in Gloucestershire leads with 36 Ridlers recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.86x.

Place Total Index
Bristol St Philip Jacob 36 26.86x
Bisley 21 162.79x
Porlock 20 1052.63x
Chudleigh 19 395.83x
Kensington London 16 3.97x
Cutcombe 15 1071.43x
Lydney 14 190.48x
Minchinhampton 14 123.46x
Clifton 13 18.07x
Llantwit Major 13 528.46x
Mile End Old Town 13 11.35x
Stroud 13 46.93x
Swansea Town 11 10.62x
Plymouth St Andrew 10 8.59x
Westbury On Trym 10 20.74x
Wotton 10 581.40x
Dulverton 9 263.16x
Govan 9 1.55x
Halifax 9 8.52x
Islington London 9 1.28x
Manchester 9 2.32x
Ovenden 9 28.12x
Brompton Regis 8 629.92x
Flaxley 8 250.78x
Hackney London 8 1.97x
West Dean 8 34.60x
Westbury On Severn East 8 24.86x
Bristol St George 7 10.63x
Bristol St James St Paul 7 14.75x
Bristol St Michael 7 57.38x
Cirencester 7 36.33x
Exeter Heavitree 7 62.17x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 7 26.87x
Lambeth 7 1.11x
St George Hanover 7 7.39x
St Woollos 7 11.96x
Withiel Florey 7 1044.78x
Bristol St Mary Redcliff 6 46.26x
Cardiff St John 6 14.53x
Denton 6 31.45x
Great Malvern 6 30.33x
Horfield 6 41.90x
Minehead 6 136.05x
Newington 6 2.24x
Oakford 6 487.80x
Plumstead 6 7.27x
Roath 6 10.45x
Rotherhithe 6 6.69x
Selworthy 6 588.24x
St Marylebone London 6 1.55x
St Pancras London 6 1.03x
Bristol St Paul In 5 13.19x
Burley 5 316.46x
Canterbury St Paul 5 112.61x
Down Hatherley 5 1041.67x
Luccombe 5 543.48x
Lympston 5 185.19x
Morebath 5 454.55x
Newcastle Higher 5 58.28x
Stogursey 5 159.24x
Streatham 5 9.29x
Tooting Graveney 5 50.81x
Walcot 5 8.04x
Bristol St John Baptist 4 303.03x
Bristol Temple 4 42.69x
Exton 4 396.04x
Hoyland Swaine 4 215.05x
Isleworth 4 12.40x
Kingston 4 170.21x
Limehouse London 4 5.02x
Llanelly 4 5.81x
Quedgley 4 336.13x
Shire Newton 4 210.53x
Southwark Christchurch 4 11.76x
St Donats 4 1176.47x
Toxteth Park 4 1.37x
Wotton St Mary 4 54.20x
Exeter St Thomas The 3 19.48x
Haresfield 3 211.27x
Wandsworth 3 4.29x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 53
Elizabeth 27
Sarah 20
Emma 15
Annie 13
Jane 13
Eliza 12
Alice 11
Ellen 10
Emily 10
Ann 9
Maria 8
Edith 6
Florence 6
Harriet 6
Kate 6
Louisa 6
Martha 6
Matilda 6
Caroline 5
Lucy 5
Margaret 5
Ada 4
Agnes 4
Anne 4
Esther 4
Frances 4
Rebecca 4
Sophia 4
Susannah 4
Charlotte 3
Eva 3
Fanny 3
Harriett 3
Helen 3
Jessie 3
Rose 3
Susan 3
Amy 2
Francis 2
Hannah 2
Hester 2
Isabella 2
Jemima 2
Laura 2
Nellie 2
Selina 2
Theodosia 2
Elizth. 1
Vernia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 69
John 32
George 27
Thomas 25
James 22
Robert 16
Albert 13
Charles 13
Henry 13
Joseph 12
Frederick 9
David 8
Richard 7
Alfred 4
Christopher 4
Edwin 4
Walter 4
Ernest 3
Frank 3
Herbert 3
Michael 3
Nathaniel 3
Wm. 3
Alfd. 2
Andrew 2
Arthur 2
Fred 2
Henery 2
Lewis 2
Samuel 2
Arrowsmith 1
Charley 1
Chas. 1
Francis 1
Fred. 1
Fredk.W. 1
Gilbert 1
Hanry 1
Harrold 1
Harry 1
Jonathon 1
Joshua 1
Leonard 1
Levi 1
Maria 1
Matthew 1
Osman 1
R.T. 1
Reginald 1
Reuben 1

FAQ

Ridler surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ridler surname in 1881?

In 1881, 748 people were recorded with the Ridler surname. That placed it at #4,914 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ridler surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 966 in 2016. That gives Ridler a modern rank of #5,955.

What does the Ridler surname mean?

A surname derived from an Old English word meaning "interpreter" or "puzzler".

What does the Ridler map show?

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