The Riddell surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 5,236 people carried this name — #6,484 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 56,200 people counted. That is up 7% from 4,885 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Riddell surname

Scottish and English surname from the Norman personal name Ridel, of uncertain origin; possibly of Germanic origin, from the root of ride, or from Old French ridel (“small hill”), a diminutive of ride (“fold”), itself from Germanic.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Riddell» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley explains it as ‘of Riddell’ — the first of the origins he gives.

His entry covers Riddell and Riddle.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 645 · public domain.

In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 12 births for the Riddell name in 1890.

Most were registered in Ulster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 500 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. 4 of them were indexed under other spellings of the name. The Registrar-General’s note on the name: “Antrim.”

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born, 1890

Ulster 11
Leinster 1

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

In Argentina’s national register

At least 32 people named Riddell live in Argentina.

RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Mendoza.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

Mendoza 32

RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Riddell was found among the farmers of Northumberland: 11 in every 10,000.

Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Northumberland 11

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In Scotland’s registers today

Riddell was recorded 59 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 447th most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 101. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In print

Riddell in American newspapers,
1911–1918.

Newspaper page from The Ranch carrying the name Riddell
The Ranch 1911-10-15
Newspaper page from Daily Capital Journal carrying the name Riddell
Daily Capital Journal 1918-09-30
Newspaper page from Daily Capital Journal carrying the name Riddell
Daily Capital Journal 1916-10-02

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 25,211 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Riddell in Australian newspapers,
1820s–1990s.

25,015 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Riddell. The most, 3,827, date from the 1930s. 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 the Northern Territory, at 3.1 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Victoria 12,258
New South Wales 5,832
Queensland 3,135
South Australia 1,604
Western Australia 974
Tasmania 856
ACT (Canberra) 208
Northern Territory 99

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

Who carried it

People named Riddell,
with a public archive behind them.

  • James Riddell d. 1674 · merchant
  • Catherine Stapleton d. 1872
  • Catherine Flora Chaloner d. 1898
  • Elizabeth Riddell d. 1763
  • Elizabeth Riddell d. 1770
  • Sir Walter Riddell, 2nd Baronet d. 1669

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

In the public record

People named Riddell,
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 States667 records

667 records of the Riddell name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 167
  • U.S. alien registration index, 1940–1955 161
  • Other U.S. records 339
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record John A. Riddell

    Born 1921 in Canada. Enlisted 1943 at Los Angeles, California; driver. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1962, buried at Los Angeles National Cemetery, California.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (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 James H. Riddell

    Born 1919 in Kansas. Enlisted 1941 at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri; auto mechanic. U.S. Army Air Forces veteran of World War II; died 1972, buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Missouri.

    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 Sarah Riddell

    Arrived at New York in 1872 aboard the Assyria from Orkney Islands, Scotland, aged 25; servant. From Ireland.

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

Showing 3 of 667 records for Riddell in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia751 records

751 records of the Riddell name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 365
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 183
  • Other Australian records 203
  1. 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 Isabella Riddell

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Emma Eugenia, sailing from London in 1850. Native of Aberdeenshire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1854.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Thos Riddell

    Arrived in Victoria in 1855 aboard the Shalimar, aged 26; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Margaret Riddell

    Gentlewoman of St Kilda, Victoria; died 1911.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 751 records for Riddell in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: 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); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Canada94 records

94 records of the Riddell name in Canada
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 28
  • City of Winnipeg cemetery records 20
  • Other Canadian records 46
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Jas Riddell

    Came to Ontario in 1873 aboard the Corinthian, landing at Quebec, bound for Galt, Ontario; Scotch.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Norine Ann Riddell

    Buried in 1999 at St. Mary's Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 41.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Lila Riddell

    Died 1997, aged 90; buried at Brookside Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.

Showing 3 of 94 records for Riddell in Canada.

Counts: Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

United Kingdom65 records

65 records of the Riddell name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 25
  • Scottish rolls of honour, First World War 22
  • Other British records 18
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record John Grant Riddell

    Born 1888 at Elgin; warehouseman. Died 1917. Named in the Morayshire roll of honour (1921). Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918 (Dragoons).

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain); National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record Alexander Grant Riddell

    Born 1889 at Elgin; cloth finisher. Died 1917. Named in the Morayshire roll of honour (1921). Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918 (Seaforth Highlanders).

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain); 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 Alexander Russell Riddell

    Died 1998, aged 71; buried at Kilmadock Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Showing 3 of 65 records for Riddell in the United Kingdom.

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

New Zealand21 records

21 records of the Riddell name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 17
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 3
  • 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 Constance Alford Riddell

    Died 1941, aged 58; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Suzanne Elizabeth Riddell

    Died 1987, aged 46; buried at Fairhall Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record J. Riddell

    New Zealand Mounted Rifles. 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 21 records for Riddell in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District 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).

France1 record

1 record of the Riddell 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 Marie Riddell

    Born 1901 in Madagascar; died 1998 in Toulon (Var).

    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 Riddell name in the Netherlands Dutch church registers before 1811
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Patrick Riddell

    Married in 1679 in Rotterdam.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (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 Riddell.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Riddell is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Riddell volume
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