Explore the Family Name Ridgway
The meaning of Ridgway
English: variant of Ridgeway.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Ridgway in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname "Ridgway" slightly decreased between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked as the 5924th most popular surname in the US, but by 2010, it had dropped to the 6291st position, marking a decline of 6.2%. The total count of people bearing the "Ridgway" name, however, grew modestly from 5,349 in 2000 to 5,429 in 2010, a rise of 1.5%. The proportion of "Ridgways" per 100,000 people also fell by 7.07% over this decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #5,924 | #6,291 | -6.2% |
| Count | 5,349 | 5,429 | 1.5% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.98 | 1.84 | -7.07% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Ridgway
When examining the ethnicity breakdown of individuals bearing the "Ridgway" surname based on Decennial U.S. Census data, we see some slight shifts in the distribution between 2000 and 2010. Individuals identifying as White constituted the majority, although there was a small decrease of 1.03% in this category from 93.08% in 2000 to 92.12% in 2010. There was an increase in those identifying as Hispanic (from 1.22% to 2.04%) and Black (from 2.17% to 2.25%). Meanwhile, the percentage of individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander saw a growth of 14.29%, and those with two or more ethnic identities increased by 6.25%. In contrast, the proportion of those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native declined by 7.19%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 93.08% | 92.12% | -1.03% |
| Black | 2.17% | 2.25% | 3.69% |
| Hispanic | 1.22% | 2.04% | 67.21% |
| Two or More Races | 1.44% | 1.53% | 6.25% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.53% | 1.42% | -7.19% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.56% | 0.64% | 14.29% |
Ridgway 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 Ridgway is British & Irish, which comprises 58.7% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (23.7%) and Scandinavian (4.2%). Additional ancestries include Italian, Eastern European, Spanish & Portuguese, Indigenous American, and Nigerian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 58.7% |
| French & German | 23.7% |
| Scandinavian | 4.2% |
| Other | 13.3% |
Possible origins of the surname Ridgway
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 Ridgway have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 93.00% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 93.00% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 92.50% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 92.50% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 92.50% |
What Ridgway 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 Ridgway is R-CTS8277, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS8277 is descended from haplogroup R-M420. Other common haplogroups include R-CTS241 and R-Z30, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Wildman, Steed, Teller, Bradbury, Ridgeway, Thorp, Weston, Scales, Strain, Heath.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Ridgway surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M420Your 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 Ridgway 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.
"Ridgway" Surname 38.2%
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.
"Ridgway" Surname 20.8%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Ridgway" Surname 25.7%
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.
"Ridgway" Surname 17.5%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Ridgway?
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 Ridgway are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition