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Riding Family History

Riding Surname Meaning

English (Lancashire): topographic name for someone who lived by an area of cleared land an assart from Middle English riding ridding (Old English rydding) ‘clearing assart’.

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 Riding family from?

You can see how Riding families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Riding family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Riding families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 1,690 Riding families living in Lancashire. This was about 79% of all the recorded Riding's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Riding families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Riding 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 Riding 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 Riding. 17% of Riding men worked as a General Labourer and 66% of Riding women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Riding were Dairy Farmer and Unpaid Domestic Duti.

View Census Data for Riding | 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
    17%
  • Cotton Weaver
    11%
  • Motor Driver
    5%
  • Dairy Farmer
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    66%
  • Cotton Weaver
    8%
  • Incapacitated
    2%
  • Unpaid Domestic Duti
    2%

What Riding family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 28,000 census records available for the last name Riding. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Riding census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Riding

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Riding. 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 Riding immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 6,000 military records available for the last name Riding. For the veterans among your Riding ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Riding military records

You've only scratched the surface of Riding family history

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What is the average Riding lifespan?

Between 1949 and 2004, in the United States, Riding life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1949, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Riding in 1949 was 26, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Riding

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Riding 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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