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Ridgeway Family History

Ridgeway Surname Meaning

English: from Middle English rig(g)ewei ‘ridgeway’ (Old English hrycgweg). The surname may be topographic signifying someone who lived beside a ridgeway or habitational signifying someone who lived at one of a number of places so named.

For example, Ridgeway is found in Cheshire, Derbyshire, Dorset, Somerset, and Staffordshire.

Additionally, Rudgeway is located in Gloucestershire.

This surname indicates a connection to the geographical features of the landscape.

Such names often reflect the history and settlement patterns of the regions where they originated.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Ridgeway family from?

You can see how Ridgeway families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Ridgeway family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Ridgeway families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 98 Ridgeway families living in Lancashire. This was about 12% of all the recorded Ridgeway's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Ridgeway families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Ridgeway 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 Ridgeway ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Ridgeway. 12% of Ridgeway men worked as a General Labourer and 75% of Ridgeway women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Ridgeway were Gardener Retired and Unpaid Domestic.

View Census Data for Ridgeway | 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.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    12%
  • General Farm Labourer
    10%
  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    7%
  • Gardener Retired
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    75%
  • Domestic Servant
    4%
  • Domestic Duties Unpaid
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%

What Ridgeway family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 50,000 census records available for the last name Ridgeway. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Ridgeway census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Ridgeway

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Ridgeway. 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 Ridgeway immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 9,000 military records available for the last name Ridgeway. For the veterans among your Ridgeway ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Ridgeway military records

You've only scratched the surface of Ridgeway family history

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What is the average Ridgeway lifespan?

Between 1946 and 2004, in the United States, Ridgeway life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1946, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Ridgeway in 1946 was 43, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Ridgeway

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Ridgeway 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Ridgeway family tree

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