NameCensus.

UK surname

Rigsby

Derived from a place name meaning "ridge village" or "village on a ridge" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 104 people recorded with the Rigsby surname, ranking it #19,296 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 104, ranked #30,317, down from #19,296 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Cerney, South, Toxteth Park and Avening. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North East Derbyshire, Wyre Forest and Hammersmith and Fulham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rigsby is 112 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 0.0%.

1881 census count

104

Ranked #19,296

Modern count

104

2016, ranked #30,317

Peak year

2011

112 bearers

Map years

5

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rigsby had 104 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,296 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 104 in 2016, ranked #30,317.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 111 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Rigsby surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rigsby surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rigsby 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 76 #20,127
1861 historical 95 #21,768
1881 historical 104 #19,296
1891 historical 97 #24,447
1901 historical 104 #22,310
1911 historical 111 #21,392
1997 modern 87 #28,749
1998 modern 98 #27,923
1999 modern 99 #27,906
2000 modern 101 #27,555
2001 modern 105 #26,620
2002 modern 106 #26,985
2003 modern 111 #26,091
2004 modern 110 #26,451
2005 modern 106 #27,044
2006 modern 101 #28,125
2007 modern 102 #28,351
2008 modern 101 #28,825
2009 modern 111 #27,846
2010 modern 111 #28,509
2011 modern 112 #28,117
2012 modern 108 #28,849
2013 modern 108 #29,379
2014 modern 107 #29,827
2015 modern 106 #29,895
2016 modern 104 #30,317

Geography

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Where Rigsbys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Cerney, South, Toxteth Park, Avening, East Dean, Little Dean, Flaxley, Abinghall, Weston-under-Penyard (Ross, Herefordshire), Lea (Ross, H and Kidderminster. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North East Derbyshire, Wyre Forest and Hammersmith and Fulham. 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 Cerney, South Gloucestershire
2 Toxteth Park Lancashire
3 Avening Gloucestershire
4 East Dean, Little Dean, Flaxley, Abinghall, Weston-under-Penyard (Ross, Herefordshire), Lea (Ross, H Gloucestershire
5 Kidderminster Worcestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North East Derbyshire 001 North East Derbyshire
2 Wyre Forest 006 Wyre Forest
3 Wyre Forest 002 Wyre Forest
4 Hammersmith and Fulham 021 Hammersmith and Fulham
5 Wyre Forest 007 Wyre Forest

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rigsby

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rigsby

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Rigsby, 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 Rigsby surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Rigsby 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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Rigsby is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Rigsby 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

Rigsby falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Rigsby is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 20-25 mbit/s.

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

4
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Rigsby

The surname Rigsby originates from England and dates back to the early medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "hrycg" meaning ridge and "by" meaning village or settlement, essentially translating to "ridge village" or "village on the ridge."

This toponymic surname likely originated in areas with prominent ridges or hill settlements, potentially in regions like Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, or Derbyshire. Similar spelling variations from historical records include Riggesbie, Rigesbie, and Riggsby.

One of the earliest known references to the name Rigsby can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Rigesbie" in connection with lands in Lincolnshire. This suggests that the name was already established by the late 11th century.

Notable individuals with the surname Rigsby include:

1. Sir Edward Rigsby (c. 1350-1425), a prominent English landowner and knight who served in the Hundred Years' War under King Henry V.

2. John Rigsby (1590-1662), an English Puritan clergyman and author who published several religious works during the 17th century.

3. Mary Rigsby (1702-1778), an English poet and playwright whose works gained popularity in literary circles of the 18th century.

4. William Rigsby (1804-1879), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars and later became a renowned explorer and cartographer.

5. Elizabeth Rigsby (1856-1932), an American educator and suffragist who played a significant role in the women's rights movement in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The surname Rigsby has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Rigsby in Lincolnshire, Rigsby Hill in Yorkshire, and Rigsby Wold in the East Riding of Yorkshire, further reinforcing its toponymic origins and connection to geographical features like ridges and hills.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rigsby families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rigsby 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 28 Rigsbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.08x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 28 14.08x
Northumberland 13 8.61x
Middlesex 12 1.18x
Lancashire 10 0.83x
Devon 8 3.79x
Herefordshire 8 19.24x
Worcestershire 6 4.53x
Nottinghamshire 5 3.66x
Derbyshire 4 2.52x
Somerset 4 2.45x
Yorkshire 3 0.30x
Kent 1 0.29x
Surrey 1 0.20x
Wiltshire 1 1.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Garston in Lancashire leads with 8 Rigsbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 225.35x.

Place Total Index
Garston 8 225.35x
Wallsend 8 167.01x
Randwick 7 1794.87x
Ealing 6 66.23x
Foy 6 5454.55x
Kidderminster Borough 6 77.42x
Bibury 5 2083.33x
Nottingham St Mary 5 14.14x
Tynemouth 5 61.88x
Woodchester 5 1612.90x
Bideford 4 176.99x
Bristol St Paul In 4 75.47x
Litchurch 4 62.60x
Twerton 4 238.10x
Charlton Kings 3 217.39x
Islington London 3 3.05x
Cherington 2 2857.14x
Fulham London 2 13.60x
Georgeham 2 740.74x
Monkleigh 2 1052.63x
Ocle Pitchard 2 2000.00x
Ashton Keynes 1 303.03x
Avening 1 142.86x
Beverley Parks 1 833.33x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 10.46x
Everton 1 2.61x
Hatfield In Thorne 1 158.73x
Horsley 1 113.64x
Milton In Gravesend 1 19.27x
St Pancras London 1 1.22x
Streatham 1 13.28x
Tadcaster West 1 125.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Eliza 5
Mary 5
Elizabeth 4
Emma 4
Alice 3
Ellen 3
Fanny 3
Sarah 3
Hannah 2
Jane 2
Margaret 2
Amy 1
Anna 1
Annie 1
Charlotte 1
Elizth. 1
Emily 1
Grace 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Lillian 1
Rebecca 1
Ruth 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Rigsby surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rigsby surname in 1881?

In 1881, 104 people were recorded with the Rigsby surname. That placed it at #19,296 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rigsby surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 104 in 2016. That gives Rigsby a modern rank of #30,317.

What does the Rigsby surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "ridge village" or "village on a ridge" in Old English.

What does the Rigsby map show?

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