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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 1840 there were 21 Ridgley families living in Maryland. This was about 58% of all the recorded Ridgley's in USA. Maryland had the highest population of Ridgley families in 1840.
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.

What did your Ridgley ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Ridgley. 27% of Ridgley men worked as a Laborer and 14% of Ridgley women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Ridgley were Salesman and Housewife. .

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 1940

  • Laborer
    27%
  • Farmer
    10%
  • Clerk
    8%
  • Salesman
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housekeeper
    14%
  • Maid
    11%
  • Waitress
    11%
  • Housewife
    11%
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 US 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 USA, 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

You've only scratched the surface of Ridgley family history

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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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