NameCensus.

UK surname

Rigby

An English locational surname derived from a place name meaning "ridge farm" or "farm on a ridge."

In the 1881 census there were 8,697 people recorded with the Rigby surname, ranking it #486 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 11,256, ranked #571, down from #486 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to North Meols, Wigan and Preston. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include St. Helens and Wigan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rigby is 12,118 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 29.4%.

1881 census count

8,697

Ranked #486

Modern count

11,256

2016, ranked #571

Peak year

1999

12,118 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rigby had 8,697 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #486 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 11,256 in 2016, ranked #571.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 11,683 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Rigby surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rigby surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rigby 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 4,883 #571
1861 historical 5,397 #515
1881 historical 8,697 #486
1891 historical 9,145 #483
1901 historical 10,707 #486
1911 historical 11,683 #422
1997 modern 11,295 #541
1998 modern 11,852 #535
1999 modern 12,118 #527
2000 modern 12,051 #529
2001 modern 11,816 #526
2002 modern 12,020 #532
2003 modern 11,728 #534
2004 modern 11,678 #537
2005 modern 11,411 #539
2006 modern 11,414 #541
2007 modern 11,505 #540
2008 modern 11,445 #548
2009 modern 11,713 #550
2010 modern 11,905 #556
2011 modern 11,727 #558
2012 modern 11,338 #562
2013 modern 11,495 #563
2014 modern 11,503 #570
2015 modern 11,375 #569
2016 modern 11,256 #571

Geography

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Where Rigbys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around North Meols, Wigan, Preston, Liverpool and Leigh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to St. Helens and Wigan. 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 North Meols Lancashire
2 Wigan Lancashire
3 Preston Lancashire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Leigh Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 St. Helens 001 St. Helens
2 St. Helens 007 St. Helens
3 Wigan 021 Wigan
4 Wigan 020 Wigan
5 St. Helens 019 St. Helens

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rigby

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rigby

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

Small Town Suburbia

Nationally, the Rigby surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Rigby 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 is predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Rigby 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

Rigby is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Rigby 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 Rigby is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Rigby

The surname Rigby is of English origin and is believed to have originated in the medieval period. It is a locational name derived from the place name Rigby, which itself is a combination of the Old Norse word 'riğr' meaning 'ridge' and the Old English word 'by' meaning a 'settlement' or 'village'. The name essentially refers to someone who lived in the ridge-top settlement.

Rigby is an ancient village in Lancashire, England, and the surname is thought to have originated in this area. The earliest recorded instance of the name dates back to the 13th century, with a John de Rigby being mentioned in the Lancashire Assize Rolls of 1246.

The Rigby surname appears in several historical records and manuscripts, including the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is recorded as 'Righebi'. This suggests that the settlement and surname have been in existence since at least the 11th century.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the Rigby surname was Sir Alexander Rigby, born in 1594, who was a prominent Parliamentarian during the English Civil War. He played a significant role in the siege of Lathom House in 1644.

Another noteworthy figure was Edward Rigby, born in 1747, who was a prominent English physician and obstetrician. He is known for his contributions to the field of obstetrics and for introducing the use of the obstetric forceps in England.

In the 19th century, Joseph Rigby, born in 1784, was a successful English industrialist and entrepreneur who founded the Baxenden Chemical Works in Lancashire.

Sir John Rigby, born in 1924, was a British business leader and industrialist who played a significant role in the development of the aerospace and defense industries in the United Kingdom.

More recently, Steven Rigby, born in 1977, is a British television presenter and journalist known for his work on various BBC programs, including 'Watchdog' and 'Rip Off Britain'.

While the Rigby surname is predominantly found in England, it has also been carried to other parts of the world through migration and settlement. The name remains most prevalent in areas with historical connections to Lancashire and the surrounding regions of northern England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rigby families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rigby 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. Lancashire leads with 6,113 Rigbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.08x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 6,113 6.08x
Cheshire 578 3.09x
Staffordshire 551 1.93x
Yorkshire 253 0.30x
Surrey 136 0.33x
Warwickshire 120 0.56x
Northamptonshire 117 1.47x
Shropshire 102 1.39x
Middlesex 94 0.11x
Derbyshire 87 0.66x
Durham 66 0.26x
Kent 45 0.16x
Flintshire 44 1.93x
Gloucestershire 29 0.17x
Lanarkshire 27 0.10x
Northumberland 27 0.21x
Nottinghamshire 25 0.22x
Morayshire 24 1.82x
Midlothian 23 0.20x
Cumberland 22 0.30x
Leicestershire 21 0.22x
Hampshire 20 0.12x
Essex 18 0.11x
Worcestershire 16 0.14x
Westmorland 14 0.75x
Glamorgan 13 0.09x
Monmouthshire 11 0.18x
Buckinghamshire 9 0.18x
Norfolk 8 0.06x
Berkshire 7 0.11x
Devon 7 0.04x
Aberdeenshire 6 0.08x
Caernarfonshire 6 0.18x
Huntingdonshire 6 0.36x
Lincolnshire 5 0.04x
Angus 4 0.05x
Oxfordshire 4 0.08x
Montgomeryshire 3 0.15x
Roxburghshire 3 0.20x
Royal Navy 3 0.30x
Somerset 3 0.02x
Suffolk 3 0.03x
Sussex 3 0.02x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.04x
Dorset 2 0.04x
Renfrewshire 2 0.03x
Cornwall 1 0.01x
Denbighshire 1 0.03x
Herefordshire 1 0.03x
Hertfordshire 1 0.02x
Isle of Man 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Preston in Lancashire leads with 381 Rigbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.16x.

Place Total Index
Preston 381 14.16x
North Meols 198 20.12x
Wigan 189 13.45x
Hindley 184 42.92x
Windle 176 31.11x
Liverpool 173 2.83x
Sutton 160 47.44x
Eccleston In Prescot 145 28.72x
Bury 137 11.93x
Great Bolton 137 10.29x
West Derby 132 4.49x
Pemberton 124 30.93x
Toxteth Park 113 3.32x
Everton 109 3.40x
Parr 109 30.30x
Chorley 108 19.14x
Little Bolton 94 7.27x
Salford 91 3.08x
Warrington 90 7.55x
Farnworth 79 13.11x
Blackburn 75 2.80x
Manchester 73 1.61x
Oldham 71 2.19x
Wolstanton 70 8.06x
Atherton 69 18.85x
Westleigh 68 29.78x
Stoke Upon Trent 62 2.04x
Monks Coppenhall 59 8.36x
Aston 58 0.99x
Kirkdale 56 3.31x
Over Darwen 56 6.97x
Upholland 56 43.46x
Westhoughton 53 19.75x
Widnes 53 7.31x
Bickerstaffe 52 79.00x
Ince In Makerfield 50 10.69x
Oswaldtwistle 49 13.79x
Tarleton 49 88.62x
Ashton In Makerfield 47 16.41x
Aspull 47 19.87x
Much Woolton 47 34.44x
Freckleton 46 139.23x
Leyland 46 26.29x
Billinge Chapel End 45 79.76x
Walton Le Dale 45 16.65x
Skelmersdale 44 26.26x
Newton 43 5.55x
Audley 42 14.84x
Hulme 42 2.00x
Sandiacre 40 84.50x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 39 13.47x
Billinge Higher End 38 93.30x
Dukinfield 38 4.40x
Pendleton In Salford 38 3.17x
Macclesfield 37 4.45x
Barton Upon Irwell 36 4.76x
Croston 36 69.30x
Wolstanton Oldcott 36 34.75x
Halliwell 35 9.56x
Prescot 35 19.25x
Tottington Lower End 35 7.32x
Walton On Hill 35 6.43x
Wheelton 35 77.80x
Birmingham 34 0.48x
Heaton Norris 33 5.77x
Ormskirk 33 17.15x
Burslem 31 3.78x
Orrell 31 24.80x
Ashton Under Lyne 30 1.37x
Broughton In Salford 30 3.26x
Wolverhampton 29 1.32x
Coppull 28 52.26x
Leeds 28 0.59x
Abram 26 33.70x
Accrington 26 2.84x
Habergham Eaves 26 2.83x
Heap 26 4.88x
Lambeth 26 0.35x
Newton In Makerfield 26 8.44x
Audley Talk O Th Hill 25 48.52x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 661
Elizabeth 438
Sarah 280
Ann 248
Alice 238
Margaret 233
Jane 222
Ellen 206
Martha 107
Hannah 101
Annie 91
Emma 80
Eliza 73
Catherine 68
Emily 49
Maria 42
Agnes 38
Betsy 36
Esther 36
Ada 35
Fanny 35
Isabella 34
Harriet 33
Louisa 31
Elizth. 30
Anne 29
Edith 29
Florence 27
Charlotte 26
Lucy 25
Frances 23
Ruth 23
Caroline 21
Nancy 21
Betty 19
Amelia 18
Amy 17
Kate 17
Margt. 17
Eleanor 14
Rachel 14
Susannah 14
Clara 13
Harriett 13
Margret 12
Matilda 12
Rebecca 12
Bridget 11
Minnie 11
Helen 10

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 620
William 495
Thomas 441
James 412
Joseph 199
George 166
Henry 166
Richard 145
Robert 139
Samuel 92
Edward 91
Charles 86
Peter 66
Alfred 63
Frederick 46
Walter 44
Arthur 41
Wm. 41
Albert 37
Thos. 30
Ernest 25
Benjamin 24
Harry 24
Daniel 20
David 19
Edwin 19
Herbert 18
Hugh 16
Frank 15
Francis 12
Abraham 10
Christopher 10
Elijah 10
Jno. 10
Josiah 10
Nicholas 10
Timothy 10
Fred 9
Joshua 9
Philip 9
Edmund 8
Matthew 8
Nathan 8
Aaron 7
Enoch 7
Jas. 7
Percy 7
Ralph 7
Jonathan 6
Moses 6

FAQ

Rigby surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rigby surname in 1881?

In 1881, 8,697 people were recorded with the Rigby surname. That placed it at #486 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rigby surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 11,256 in 2016. That gives Rigby a modern rank of #571.

What does the Rigby surname mean?

An English locational surname derived from a place name meaning "ridge farm" or "farm on a ridge."

What does the Rigby map show?

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