Show ContentsRidge History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Ridge family

The surname Ridge was first found in Devon where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.

Early History of the Ridge family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ridge research. Another 71 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1590, 1619, 1633, 1636, 1637, 1641, 1652 and 1689 are included under the topic Early Ridge History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ridge Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Ridge, Ridges and others.

Early Notables of the Ridge family

Notables of the family at this time include

  • John Ridge (c.1590-1637), English Puritan divine, born at Oxford...

Ridge Ranking

In the United States, the name Ridge is the 6,295th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. [1]

Ireland Migration of the Ridge family to Ireland

Some of the Ridge family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 114 words (8 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Ridge migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Ridge Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Mr. Jo Ridge, aged 16, who arrived in Virginia aboard the ship "Primrose" in 1635 [2]
  • Mr. Tho Ridge, aged 23, who arrived in Virginia aboard the ship "Primrose" in 1635 [2]
  • Joseph Ridge, who landed in Virginia in 1657 [3]
  • Abigail Ridge, who arrived in Virginia in 1657 [3]
  • Elizabeth Ridge, who landed in Maryland in 1665 [3]
Ridge Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • William Ridge, who settled in Boston 1716
  • Godfry Ridge, who arrived in Virginia in 1730 [3]
  • Mary Ridge, who arrived in Virginia in 1730 [3]
  • Rebecka Ridge, who landed in Virginia in 1730 [3]
  • Ann Ridge, who landed in Virginia in 1730 [3]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Ridge Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • James Ridge, who landed in New York, NY in 1816 [3]
  • Samuel Ridge, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1840 [3]
  • John Ridge, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1844 [3]
  • Dudley Ridge, aged 21, who arrived in New York, NY in 1849 [3]
  • Ridge, aged 45, who landed in America from Liverpool, in 1893
Ridge Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Annie Henrietta Ridge, aged 37, who settled in America from Liverpool, in 1904
  • Frank Ridge, aged 20, who immigrated to the United States from Cardiff, in 1906
  • Florence L Ridge, aged 20, who settled in America from Ryde, England, in 1908
  • Edward Ridge, aged 21, who settled in America from Liverpool, England, in 1909
  • Charles H. Ridge, aged 20, who landed in America from Truro, England, in 1911
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Canada Ridge migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Ridge Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century
  • Anna Ridge, aged 31, who immigrated to Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, in 1911

Australia Ridge migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Ridge Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Luke George Ridge, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "John Munn" in 1849 [4]

New Zealand Ridge migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Ridge Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Eliza Ridge, aged 25, a domestic servant, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "New Era" in 1855

Contemporary Notables of the name Ridge (post 1700) +

  • John Rollin Ridge (1827-1867), Cheesquatalawny member of the Cherokee tribe, considered the first Native American novelist
  • Thomas Joseph "Tom" Ridge (b. 1945), Pennsylvania governor and first Director of Homeland Security
  • Major Ridge (1771-1839), also known as The Ridge, Pathkiller II, Cherokee Indian leader
  • John Ridge (1792-1839), also known as Yellow Bird, member of the Cherokee Tribe, son of Major Ridge
  • Thomas Joseph Ridge (b. 1945), American Republican politician, U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania 21st District, 1983-95; Governor of Pennsylvania, 1995-2001; U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, 2003- [5]
  • Joseph H. Ridge, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Pennsylvania State House of Representatives from Allegheny County 15th District, 1960 [5]
  • Anna E. Ridge, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Pennsylvania, 1952 [5]
  • William Pett Ridge (1857-1930), English writer
  • Mrs. Ruth Ridge B.E.M., British recipient of the British Empire Medal on 8th June 2018, for services to the Gower Society and to the community in Gower
  • Major General Susan Kerstin Ridge C.B., British Director General of the Army Legal Services Branch (DGALS) for the British Army and first female to hold the two-star rank of Major General, was appointed a Companion of the order of Bath (C.B) on 29th December 2018 by her Majesty The Queen [6]
  • ... (Another 1 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

HMS Hood
  • Mr. Merlin F Ridge (b. 1916), Irish Writer serving for the Royal Navy from Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking [7]


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's Retrieved January 6th 2023, retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  3. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  4. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) JOHN MUNN 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849JohnMunnPassengers.htm
  5. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 24) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  6. "Birthday and New Year Honours Lists (1940 to 2019)." Issue 62507, 28 December 2018 | London Gazette, The Gazette, Dec. 2018, www.thegazette.co.uk/honours-lists
  7. H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm


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