The Ratcliff surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 10,497 people carried this name — #3,409 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 28,100 people counted. That is up 3% from 10,237 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Ratcliff surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a local name, from where the family lived: ‘of Radcliff’.

An early record he cites: Willelmus de Radclif, 1379 — Poll Tax, West Riding of Yorkshire.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 637 · public domain.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

76 families named Ratcliff, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 424 people lived in those households, 5.6 to a family on average. The census counted these spellings together: Ratcliff, Rackleff, Rackliffe, Ractliff, Radcliff, Radcliffe, Radclift, Raddcliff, Radlif, Radliff, Ratclif, Ratcliffe, Ratclift. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Virginia 24
Maryland 18
South Carolina 12
New York 6
North Carolina 5
Pennsylvania 4
Maine 3
Massachusetts 3
New Hampshire 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 258 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Ratcliff in American newspapers,
1879–1910.

Newspaper page from Mineral Point Tribune carrying the name Ratcliff
Mineral Point Tribune 1880-02-12
Newspaper page from The Milan Exchange carrying the name Ratcliff
The Milan Exchange 1879-11-27
Newspaper page from Santa Fe New Mexican carrying the name Ratcliff
Santa Fe New Mexican 1910-05-16

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain.

In print

Ratcliff in Australian newspapers,
1830s–1990s.

3,582 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Ratcliff. The most, 650, date from the 1940s. Victoria has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Tasmania, at 4.3 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Victoria 899
Tasmania 851
New South Wales 796
South Australia 692
Western Australia 211
Queensland 115
ACT (Canberra) 14
Northern Territory 2

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Ratcliff.

Who carried it

People named Ratcliff,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Elizabeth Ratcliff d. 1565
  • Edward Ratcliff 1835–1915
  • John Ratcliff 1848–1925 · cricketer
  • Robert Ratcliff 1867–1943 · businessperson
  • Robert Ratcliff 1867–1943 · businessperson
  • Leonard F. Ratcliff 1919–2016 · businessperson

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Ratcliff,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States647 records

647 records of the Ratcliff name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 353
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 150
  • Other U.S. records 144
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Roy Ratcliff

    Born 1944; from San Antonio, Texas. U.S. Marine Corps, rifleman; killed in action 1966 in Quang Tri, South Vietnam. Buried at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, Texas.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Walter E. Ratcliff

    Born 1918 in Kentucky. Enlisted 1943 at Indianapolis, Indiana; farmer from Parke County, Indiana. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1944, buried at Memory Garden Cemetery, Rockville, Indiana.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Mary Ratcliff

    Arrived at New York in 1884 aboard the Maasdam from Rotterdam, aged 22; nurse. From England.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 647 records for Ratcliff in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia269 records

269 records of the Ratcliff name in Australia
  • Tasmanian Names Index 116
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 80
  • Other Australian records 73
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Sarah Jane Ratcliff

    Born 1866 in Deloraine, Tasmania. Married 1894 in Sheffield, Tasmania, aged 27.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Joseph Ratcliff

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Guildford, arriving 1824.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record H. Grenfell Ratcliff

    Arrived in Victoria in 1884 aboard the Clyde, aged 30.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 269 records for Ratcliff in Australia.

Counts: Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada19 records

19 records of the Ratcliff name in Canada
  • Ontario immigration records, 1865–1883 8
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 3
  • Other Canadian records 8
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Edith Erskine Ratcliff

    Buried in 1968 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 60.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Thomas Ratcliff

    Died 1950 in Sydney Mines, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record Walter Ratcliff

    Died in service in 1917.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 19 records for Ratcliff in Canada.

Counts: Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

New Zealand7 records

7 records of the Ratcliff name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 6
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Elizabeth Ellen Ratcliff

    Died 1917, aged 56; buried at Linwood Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record L. Ratcliff

    New Zealand Infantry. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Jessie Louisa Ratcliff

    Died 1974, aged 53; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 7 records for Ratcliff in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Livre d’or of the war dead, Paris, Ministère des pensions, Archives nationales (CC0).

United Kingdom5 records

5 records of the Ratcliff name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 4
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Edward Ratcliff

    Buried in 1821 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 73.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record A. Ratcliff

    Army Ordnance Corps. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record R. Ratcliff

    Coldstream Guards. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 5 records for Ratcliff in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

France1 record

1 record of the Ratcliff name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record John Lee Ratcliff

    Born 1959 in the United Kingdom; died 1991 in Moûtiers (Savoie).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Netherlands1 record

1 record of the Ratcliff name in the Netherlands Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths)
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Reginald Cecil Ratcliff

    Married in 1946 in Grave.

    Open Archives, Brabants Historisch Informatie Centrum (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Ratcliff.

When the index is not enough

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