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Ridgaway Family History

Ridgaway Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Ridgeway, Ridgway, Radway, Rodway, Ridgley, Siddoway, Ridgely

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Ridgaway family from?

You can see how Ridgaway families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Ridgaway family name was found in the USA, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Ridgaway families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 8 Ridgaway families living in Ontario. This was about 89% of all the recorded Ridgaway's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Ridgaway families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Ridgaway surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Ridgaway ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Clerk were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Ridgaway. 48% of Ridgaway men worked as a Laborer and 100% of Ridgaway women worked as a Clerk.

View Census Data for Ridgaway | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    48%
  • Operator
    18%
  • Hired Hand
    12%
  • Mechanic
    12%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Clerk
    100%

What Ridgaway family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 997 census records available for the last name Ridgaway. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Ridgaway census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Ridgaway

Passenger Lists

There are 41 immigration records available for the last name Ridgaway. 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 Ridgaway immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 170 military records available for the last name Ridgaway. For the veterans among your Ridgaway ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Ridgaway military records

You've only scratched the surface of Ridgaway family history

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What is the average Ridgaway lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2003, in the United States, Ridgaway life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 1992. The average life expectancy for Ridgaway in 1944 was 25, and 74 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Ridgaway

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Ridgaway ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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