NameCensus.

UK surname

Riedel

A German toponymic surname indicating someone who lived near a reed bed or in a clearing in the reeds.

In the 1881 census there were 31 people recorded with the Riedel surname, ranking it #29,218 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 115, ranked #28,348, up from #29,218 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Brent, Telford and Wrekin and Chorley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Riedel is 115 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 271.0%.

1881 census count

31

Ranked #29,218

Modern count

115

2016, ranked #28,348

Peak year

2016

115 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • Riedel had 31 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,218 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 115 in 2016, ranked #28,348.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 35 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Riedel surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Riedel surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Riedel 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
1861 historical 2 #34,135
1881 historical 31 #29,218
1891 historical 17 #32,787
1901 historical 21 #31,686
1911 historical 35 #29,478
1997 modern 78 #29,785
1998 modern 87 #29,240
1999 modern 88 #29,287
2000 modern 97 #28,142
2001 modern 87 #29,161
2002 modern 92 #29,040
2003 modern 86 #29,752
2004 modern 89 #29,623
2005 modern 90 #29,527
2006 modern 91 #29,725
2007 modern 93 #29,777
2008 modern 96 #29,654
2009 modern 104 #28,982
2010 modern 111 #28,509
2011 modern 100 #30,058
2012 modern 104 #29,543
2013 modern 109 #29,209
2014 modern 110 #29,294
2015 modern 112 #28,809
2016 modern 115 #28,348

Geography

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Where Riedels are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Brent, Telford and Wrekin, Chorley, Caerphilly and Lambeth. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Brent 028 Brent
2 Telford and Wrekin 005 Telford and Wrekin
3 Chorley 009 Chorley
4 Caerphilly 019 Caerphilly
5 Lambeth 035 Lambeth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Riedel

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Riedel

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Riedel surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Riedel 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

City Support Workers

Within London, Riedel is most associated with areas classed as City Support Workers, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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

Scattered throughout Inner London, these areas house relatively few workers in the most senior roles within organisations, and greater prevalence of administrative roles relative to the Supergroup mean. Residents are less likely to be of Chinese ethnicity and are more likely to have been born in Africa. Relative to the Supergroup average, residents are also more likely to live in social housing and live in overcrowded conditions.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Riedel is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Riedel falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Riedel 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 - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Riedel

The surname Riedel is of German origin, with roots that can be traced back to the 14th century. It is derived from the German word "Ried," which means "reed" or "marsh," indicating that the name was likely given to someone who lived near a marshy area or worked with reeds.

The earliest known record of the name Riedel dates back to 1389, when a certain Heinz Riedel was mentioned in the town records of Nuremberg, Germany. This suggests that the name was already established in that region by the late Middle Ages.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Riedel name appears in various historical documents across German-speaking areas, including church records, tax rolls, and guild registries. One notable bearer of the name was Johann Riedel (1570-1638), a German engraver and printmaker who was active in Augsburg.

In the 18th century, the Riedel family became prominent in the glass-making industry in Bohemia, which was then part of the Habsburg Monarchy. Johann Christoph Riedel (1705-1784) established a glassworks in Polesná, which would later become one of the most renowned producers of fine crystal glassware, known as Riedel Crystal.

Another significant figure with the Riedel surname was Christian Samuel Riedel (1726-1801), a German botanist and physician who made important contributions to the study of plant classification and taxonomy.

As the Riedel family prospered in the glass industry, their name became closely associated with the production of high-quality glassware. Walter Riedel (1857-1919), a descendant of Johann Christoph Riedel, played a pivotal role in modernizing and expanding the family business in the late 19th century.

Over the centuries, the Riedel surname has also been linked to various places in Germany and Austria, such as Riedelsheim, Riedenburg, and Riedlhütte, which may have contributed to the development of local variations of the name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Riedel families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Riedel 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. Kent leads with 7 Riedels recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.78x.

County Total Index
Kent 7 6.78x
Staffordshire 7 6.86x
Middlesex 5 1.65x
Surrey 5 3.39x
Yorkshire 5 1.67x
Caernarfonshire 2 16.35x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Upper Penn in Staffordshire leads with 7 Riedels recorded in 1881 and an index of 2692.31x.

Place Total Index
Upper Penn 7 2692.31x
Woolwich 7 183.73x
Halifax 5 113.64x
St Pancras London 5 20.54x
Lambeth 4 15.17x
Llandudno 2 454.55x
Camberwell 1 5.18x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ann 1
Annie 1
Eliza 1
Elizabeth 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Franciska 1
Harriet 1
Helena 1
Lillian 1
Maria 1
Mary 1
Minne 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

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 Riedel households.

FAQ

Riedel surname: questions and answers

How common was the Riedel surname in 1881?

In 1881, 31 people were recorded with the Riedel surname. That placed it at #29,218 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Riedel surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 115 in 2016. That gives Riedel a modern rank of #28,348.

What does the Riedel surname mean?

A German toponymic surname indicating someone who lived near a reed bed or in a clearing in the reeds.

What does the Riedel map show?

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