Get access to Ratliff family records.Start a free trial

Ratliff Family History

Ratliff Name Meaning

English (Suffolk): habitational name from one or more of the places so named such as Radcliffe (Lancashire) Radcliffe on Trent and Ratcliffe on Soar (both Nottinghamshire) Radclive (Buckinghamshire) Ratcliffe Culey and Ratcliffe on the Wreake (both Leicestershire) Ratclyffe in Clyst Hydon Ratcliffes in Thorverton and Ratcliffes in Broad Clyst (all Devon) Ratcliff in Stepney (Middlesex) and Rackley in Compton Bishop (Somerset). The placenames derive from Old English rēad ‘red’ + clif ‘cliff bank steep slope’ (see also Rutley ). A family of the name Radcliffe trace their descent from Sir Nicholas de Radclyffe. He is said to have been a knight who held the major of Radcliffe in Lancashire and served Roger de Poitou Baron de Marsey in the 11th century.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022

Similar surnames: Ratliffe, Rackliff, Radcliff, Ratcliffe, Setliff, Bayliff, Radcliffe

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Ratliff family from?

You can see how Ratliff families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Ratliff family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Ratliff families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 22 Ratliff families living in Suffolk. This was about 28% of all the recorded Ratliff's in United Kingdom. Suffolk had the highest population of Ratliff families in 1891.

Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Ratliff surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

View Census Data for Ratliff

What did your Ratliff ancestors do for a living?

View Census Data for Ratliff | Data not to scale

Top Male Occupations In 1939

General Labourer
100%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

Unpaid Domestic Duties
83%
Private Means
12%
Incapacitated
6%

Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Ratliff family records will you find?

Census Records
There are 68,000 census records available for the last name Ratliff. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Ratliff census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.
Search UK census records for Ratliff
Passenger Lists
There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Ratliff. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.
View all Ratliff immigration records
Draft Cards
There are 19,000 military records available for the last name Ratliff. For the veterans among your Ratliff ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.
View all Ratliff military records

Census Records

There are 68,000 census records available for the last name Ratliff. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Ratliff census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Ratliff

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Ratliff. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Ratliff immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 19,000 military records available for the last name Ratliff. For the veterans among your Ratliff ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Ratliff military records

You've only scratched the surface of Ratliff family history

Discover More

What is the average Ratliff lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Ratliff life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1948, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Ratliff in 1943 was 39, and 71 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Ratliff

Browse profiles of historical people with the Ratliff last name