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Ridgley Family History

Ridgley Name Meaning

English (Buckinghamshire): habitational name from Rugeley (Staffordshire) from Old English hrycg ‘ridge’ + lēah ‘woodland clearing’.

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


Similar surnames: Ridley, Midgley, Richley, Gidley, Radley, Tingley, Risley, Ridge

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Ridgley family from?

You can see how Ridgley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Ridgley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Ridgley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 168 Ridgley families living in Buckinghamshire. This was about 32% of all the recorded Ridgley's in United Kingdom. Buckinghamshire had the highest population of Ridgley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Ridgley 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 Ridgley 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 Ridgley. 17% of Ridgley men worked as a General Labourer and 81% of Ridgley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Ridgley were Builders Labourer and Domestic Service. .

View Census Data for Ridgley | 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%
  • Chairmaker
    13%
  • Wood Machinist
    9%
  • Builders Labourer
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    81%
  • Dressmaker
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Domestic Service
    2%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Ridgley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 18,000 census records available for the last name Ridgley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Ridgley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Ridgley

Passenger Lists

There are 822 immigration records available for the last name Ridgley. 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 Ridgley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Ridgley. For the veterans among your Ridgley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Ridgley military records

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What is the average Ridgley lifespan?

Between 1952 and 2004, in the United States, Ridgley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1957, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Ridgley in 1952 was 67, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Ridgley

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