The Rye surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 4,079 people carried this name — #8,128 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 72,500 people counted. That is down 1% from 4,120 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Rye surname

As an English surname, variant of Rea.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Rye» (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 classes it as a local name, from where the family lived: ‘of Rye’.

An early record he cites: Hubert de Rie, castellan of Norwich Castle, c. 1100 — History of Norfolk (Blomefield and Parkin).

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 661 · public domain.

In the Nordic population registers

759 people named Rye are counted in Norway and Sweden.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published. Norway publishes only surnames with 200 or more bearers.

Counted, by country

Norway (2025) 705
Sweden (2022) 54

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown) · Statistics Norway (SSB, ssb.no), table 12891, 2025 — CC BY 4.0.

In print

Rye in American newspapers,
1914–1916.

Newspaper page from The Commercial carrying the name Rye
The Commercial 1914-10-30
Newspaper page from The Columbia Herald carrying the name Rye
The Columbia Herald 1916-10-27
Newspaper page from The Commercial carrying the name Rye
The Commercial 1914-06-19

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 1,585 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Rye in Australian newspapers,
1830s–1990s.

8,448 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Rye. The most, 1,193, date from the 1930s. New South Wales 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 Queensland, at 1.4 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 3,171
Queensland 2,242
Victoria 1,972
South Australia 614
Tasmania 206
Western Australia 136
ACT (Canberra) 77
Northern Territory 19

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

Who carried it

People named Rye,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Johan Henrik Rye
    Johan Henrik Rye 1787–1868 · politician
  • Olaf Rye
    Olaf Rye 1791–1849 · military personnel
  • Olaf Rye
    Olaf Rye 1791–1849 · military personnel
  • Hubert Bernard Tonson Rye d. 1950
  • Robert Drury Rye d. 1796
  • Roger Rye 1301–1425 · politician

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Rye,
in the records of 8 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 States321 records

321 records of the Rye name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 145
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 57
  • Other U.S. records 119
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Theodore Rye

    Born 1897 in Iowa. Enlisted 1942 at Fort Des Moines; carpenter from Lee County. U.S. Army veteran of World War I and World War II; died 1966, buried at Keokuk National Cemetery, Iowa.

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

    Arrived at New York in 1904 aboard the Blucher from Hamburg, aged 16; laborer. From Agerrledt, Denmark; bound for Omaha.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Dillard Gale Rye

    Born 1941; from Dos Palos, California. U.S. Army, armor reconnaissance specialist; died of wounds 1968 in Quang Tin, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 321 records for Rye 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) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · 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). 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); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Norway222 records

222 records of the Rye name in Norway Norway's 1910 census
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Herman Rye

    Census of 1910: Rye, Nordre Aurdal; farmer and smith, born 1840 in Nordre Aurdal.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Signe Rye

    Census of 1910: Thomas Heftyesgate, Kristiania; housemaid, born 1884 in Kristiania.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)
  3. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Johanne Rye

    Census of 1910: Hønengate, Hønefoss; of independent means, born 1822 in Solør.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)

Showing 3 of 222 records for Rye in Norway.

Counts: Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

Australia199 records

199 records of the Rye name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 80
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 56
  • Other Australian records 63
  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 James Rye

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the John Barry, arriving 1839; ticket of leave 1843.

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

    Arrived in Victoria in 1859 aboard the Nimroud, aged 50; 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 Harry Bromley Field Rye

    School teacher of Geelong, Victoria; died 1962.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 199 records for Rye 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) · 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: 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 Rye name in Canada
  • Ontario immigration records, 1865–1883 72
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 12
  • Other Canadian records 10
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record James Rye

    Came to Ontario in 1871 aboard the Niger, landing at Quebec, bound for Frenchmans Bay, Ontario; English.

    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 Ivor Rye

    Buried in 1995 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 86.

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

    Died 1866 in Port Mouton, Queens, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 94 records for Rye in Canada.

Counts: Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · 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. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · 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); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

United Kingdom15 records

15 records of the Rye name in the United Kingdom
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 9
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 6
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Jane Rye

    Buried in 1822 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 42.

    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 P. Rye

    Bombardier, Royal Field Artillery. 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 page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Ann Rye

    Buried in 1816 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 37.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Showing 3 of 15 records for Rye in the United Kingdom.

Counts: MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · 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); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

New Zealand13 records

13 records of the Rye name in New Zealand
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 10
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 3
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Edward Ralph Rye

    Died 2000, aged 94; buried at Totara Memorial Park Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Richard Rye

    Died 1895, aged 43; buried at Linwood Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Doris Marie Rye

    Died 1942, aged 26; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 13 records for Rye in New Zealand.

Counts: Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

France3 records

3 records of the Rye 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 Aline Josephine Rye

    Born 1894 in Authon-du-Perche (Eure-et-Loir); died 1981 in Caen (Calvados).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Marie Josephe Rye

    Born 1904 in Authon-du-Perche (Eure-et-Loir); died 1983 in Paris.

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 3 records for Rye in France.

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).

Germany1 record

1 record of the Rye name in Germany Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Stellom Rye

    From Randeis, Dänemark. Reported dead in the Prussian casualty list of 10 December 1914 (Guard Grenadier Regiment No. 4).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Rye.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Rye is.
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