Explore the Family Name Riddle
The meaning of Riddle
English: 1. habitational name probably chiefly from Ryedale, a river valley in North Yorkshire. The placename derives from the river name Rye (of uncertain etymology) + Old Norse dalr ‘valley’. There are, however, other places called Rydale (in Westmorland for example) which could have given rise to hereditary surnames. 2. of Norman origin, from an Old French personal name Ridel, perhaps a pet form of ancient Germanic names such as Ridbald and Ridhari(us).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Riddle in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname 'Riddle' has experienced a slight dip between 2000 to 2010. In 2000, Riddle was ranked 975th most popular, but by 2010, it had dropped slightly to the 1036th spot, representing a decrease of 6.26%. However, interestingly, the count of people carrying the surname increased from 32,654 in 2000 to 33,507 in 2010, indicating an increase of 2.61%. The proportion of people with the surname per 100k also decreased by 6.12%, moving from 12.1 in 2000 to 11.36 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #975 | #1,036 | -6.26% |
| Count | 32,654 | 33,507 | 2.61% |
| Proportion per 100k | 12.1 | 11.36 | -6.12% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Riddle
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows shifts in the ethnic identity associated with the surname 'Riddle' from 2000 to 2010. While the majority of people with this surname identified as White (89.84% in 2000 down to 88.29% in 2010), there was a substantial increase in the number of individuals identifying as Hispanic, rising from 1.43% to 2.11% - an impressive 47.55% change. There were smaller increases for those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, Two or more races, Black, and American Indian and Alaskan Native, with growth rates of 26.19%, 21.34%, 4.80%, and 11.32%, respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 89.84% | 88.29% | -1.73% |
| Black | 5.62% | 5.89% | 4.8% |
| Hispanic | 1.43% | 2.11% | 47.55% |
| Two or More Races | 1.64% | 1.99% | 21.34% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.06% | 1.18% | 11.32% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.42% | 0.53% | 26.19% |
Riddle ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Riddle is British & Irish, which comprises 58.9% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (23.2%) and Scandinavian (3.2%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Indigenous American, and Ashkenazi Jewish.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 58.9% |
| French & German | 23.2% |
| Scandinavian | 3.2% |
| Other | 14.7% |
Possible origins of the surname Riddle
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Riddle have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 93.20% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 93.20% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 93.10% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 93.10% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 92.70% |
What Riddle haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Riddle is R-CTS241, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS241 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include I-CTS10057 and R-Z2961, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Morgan, Johnstone, Lewis, Phillips, Jones, Cameron, Evans, Reese, Morris, Swan.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Riddle surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Riddle have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Riddle" Surname 45.3%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Riddle" Surname 32.4%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Riddle" Surname 25.6%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Riddle" Surname 18.3%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Riddle?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Riddle are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition