NameCensus.

UK surname

Ryce

An English surname derived from the French phrase "riz chevalier" meaning "knight's portion of rice".

In the 1881 census there were 65 people recorded with the Ryce surname, ranking it #24,420 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 202, ranked #19,475, up from #24,420 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hamilton, New Monkland and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Copeland, Broxburn Kirkhill and Caldercruix and Plains.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ryce is 202 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 210.8%.

1881 census count

65

Ranked #24,420

Modern count

202

2016, ranked #19,475

Peak year

2015

202 bearers

Map years

5

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ryce had 65 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #24,420 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 202 in 2016, ranked #19,475.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 114 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Ryce surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ryce surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ryce 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 20 #29,743
1861 historical 83 #23,189
1881 historical 65 #24,420
1891 historical 101 #23,870
1901 historical 114 #21,166
1911 historical 55 #27,313
1997 modern 183 #18,642
1998 modern 184 #19,037
1999 modern 186 #19,073
2000 modern 180 #19,425
2001 modern 177 #19,357
2002 modern 177 #19,759
2003 modern 172 #19,893
2004 modern 177 #19,662
2005 modern 184 #19,117
2006 modern 182 #19,402
2007 modern 186 #19,337
2008 modern 185 #19,589
2009 modern 190 #19,656
2010 modern 191 #20,015
2011 modern 191 #19,871
2012 modern 189 #19,949
2013 modern 192 #20,067
2014 modern 199 #19,775
2015 modern 202 #19,433
2016 modern 202 #19,475

Geography

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Where Ryces are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hamilton, New Monkland, Govan Combination, Lasswade and Bishop Wearmouth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Copeland, Broxburn Kirkhill, Caldercruix and Plains, Stockton-on-Tees and Vale of White Horse. 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 Hamilton Lanark
2 New Monkland Lanark
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 Lasswade Edinburgh
5 Bishop Wearmouth Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Copeland 008 Copeland
2 Broxburn Kirkhill West Lothian
3 Caldercruix and Plains North Lanarkshire
4 Stockton-on-Tees 010 Stockton-on-Tees
5 Vale of White Horse 005 Vale of White Horse

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ryce

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ryce

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Ryce surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Ryce household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Ryce is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Ryce is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Ryce 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 Ryce is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Ryce

The surname Ryce has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "ryge," which means "rye" or "rye field." This suggests that the name was likely given to someone who lived near or worked on a rye field.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ryce can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where it appears as "Ryge." This document was a survey of landowners and their holdings, indicating that the name was already established by that time.

In the 14th century, the surname Ryce was also recorded in various forms, such as "Ryche," "Ryche," and "Riche," reflecting the variations in spelling common during that period. These variations may have been influenced by the Norman-French spelling conventions introduced after the Norman Conquest.

The Ryce surname is found in several historical records, including the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, where it appears as "Ryche." These rolls were tax records, suggesting that individuals with the Ryce surname were landowners or had some level of wealth.

One notable individual with the Ryce surname was John Ryce (c. 1500-1567), a Welsh scholar and translator who served as the Bishop of Norwich. He was known for his contributions to the English translation of the Bible under the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another significant figure was Sir Walter Ryce (1586-1672), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Cambridgeshire. He was a prominent figure during the English Civil War and supported the Parliamentarian cause.

In the 18th century, the surname Ryce was also found in various locations across England, including the county of Wiltshire, where it was recorded in the parish records of Calne in 1726 as "Ryce."

One notable individual from this period was Robert Ryce (1714-1788), an English architect and surveyor who was involved in the design and construction of several notable buildings, including the Radcliffe Observatory in Oxford.

The surname Ryce has also been associated with place names, such as Ryce Farm in Oxfordshire, which dates back to the 16th century, and Ryce Green in Worcestershire, mentioned in records from the 17th century.

Throughout history, the surname Ryce has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, politicians, landowners, and architects, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and occupations associated with this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ryce families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ryce 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. Durham leads with 16 Ryces recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.48x.

County Total Index
Durham 16 8.48x
Lanarkshire 13 6.34x
Lancashire 11 1.46x
Midlothian 9 10.60x
Cornwall 5 6.97x
Oxfordshire 4 10.22x
Middlesex 2 0.32x
Cheshire 1 0.71x
Cumberland 1 1.83x
Glamorgan 1 0.91x
Northumberland 1 1.06x
Staffordshire 1 0.47x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ford in Durham leads with 13 Ryces recorded in 1881 and an index of 2280.70x.

Place Total Index
Ford 13 2280.70x
New Monkland 13 214.52x
Little Bolton 11 113.75x
Lasswade 9 463.92x
Scilly Islands 5 3846.15x
Thame 4 563.38x
Conside Knitsley 3 204.08x
St Pancras London 2 3.92x
Askerton 1 1428.57x
Cardiff St John 1 27.70x
Stoke Upon Trent 1 4.41x
Sutton In Macclesfield 1 68.97x
Warden 1 526.32x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 5
Jane 2
Lydia 2
Alice 1
Ann 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Emma 1
Isabella 1
Maria 1
Rebecca 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 4
Robert 3
William 3
Harry 2
Bernard 1
Claude 1
Daniel 1
Edward 1
Henry 1
James 1
Joseph 1
Leslie 1
Owen 1
Squire 1

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 Ryce households.

FAQ

Ryce surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ryce surname in 1881?

In 1881, 65 people were recorded with the Ryce surname. That placed it at #24,420 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ryce surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 202 in 2016. That gives Ryce a modern rank of #19,475.

What does the Ryce surname mean?

An English surname derived from the French phrase "riz chevalier" meaning "knight's portion of rice".

What does the Ryce map show?

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