Ridley is a surname and given name that originated from locations in

Cheshire Cheshire ( ) is a ceremonial and historic county in North West England, bordered by Wales to the west, Merseyside and Greater Manchester to the north, Derbyshire to the east, and Staffordshire and Shropshire to the south. Cheshire's county t ...

Kent Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...

Northumberland Northumberland () is a county in Northern England, one of two counties in England which border with Scotland. Notable landmarks in the county include Alnwick Castle, Bamburgh Castle, Hadrian's Wall and Hexham Abbey. It is bordered by land on ...

, and

Essex Essex () is a county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the River Thames to the south, and G ...

counties in England. The name derives from

Old English Old English (, ), or Anglo-Saxon, is the earliest recorded form of the English language, spoken in England and southern and eastern Scotland in the early Middle Ages. It was brought to Great Britain by Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain, Anglo ...

, either (''reeds'') + (''wood'' or ''clearing''), or (''cleared land'') + ''lēah''.

People

Surname

* Aaron Ridley, British philosopher * Aaron J. Ridley, American atmospheric researcher *

Adam Ridley Sir Adam Nicholas Ridley (born 14 May 1942) is a British economist, civil servant, and banker. After working at the Foreign Office and the Department of Economic Affairs, he was Director of the Conservative Research Department. With Chris Patt ...

(born 1942), British economist *

Alan Ridley Alan Ridley (1910–1993) was an Australian rugby league footballer who played in the 1920s and 1930s. An Australian international and New South Wales interstate representative winger, he played club football for Sydney's Western Suburbs, w ...

(1910–1993), Australian rugby league footballer who played in the 1920s and 1930s *

Alice Tan Ridley Alice Tan Ridley (born December 21, 1952) is an American gospel and R&B singer and the mother of actress Gabourey Sidibe. Ridley advanced to the semi-finals of the NBC television series '' America's Got Talent'', after previously winning $25,0 ...

(born 1952), gospel and R&B singer *

Andrew Ridley Andrew Claude Ridley (born 2 August 1968) is an Australian former cricketer. Ridley was born at Sydney in August 1968. He studied at the University of Sydney, before undertaking his post-graduate studies in England at Exeter College, Oxford. W ...

(born 1968), Australian cricketer *

Arnold Ridley William Arnold Ridley, OBE (7 January 1896 – 12 March 1984) was an English playwright and actor, earlier in his career known for writing the play '' The Ghost Train'' and later in life in the British TV sitcom ''Dad's Army'' (1968–1977) as ...

(1896–1984), English actor * Bill Ridley (1934–2019), American basketball player *

Brian Ridley Brian Kidd Ridley (born 2 March 1931) is a British solid-state physics, solid-state physicist specialising in semiconductor theory. He is an emeritus professor at the University of Essex. Education Ridley was educated at the University of Dur ...

(born 1931), British solid-state physicist *

Calvin Ridley Calvin Orin Ridley (born December 20, 1994) is an American football wide receiver for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Alabama, and was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the first rou ...

(born 1994), American football player * Cicely Ridley (1927–2008), British-American applied mathematician *

Daisy Ridley Daisy Jazz Isobel Ridley (born 10 April 1992) is an English actress. She rose to prominence for her role as Rey in the ''Star Wars'' sequel trilogy: ''The Force Awakens'' (2015), ''The Last Jedi'' (2017), and ''The Rise of Skywalker'' (2019) ...

(born 1992), English actress * David Ridley (born 1954), English cricketer * F. A. Ridley (1897–1994), British marxist, secularist, and writer *

Fred Ridley Fred Scobie Ridley (born August 16, 1952) is an American amateur golfer and golf administrator who won the U.S. Amateur in 1975, was elected president of the United States Golf Association (USGA) in 2004, and then became chairman of Augusta Nat ...

(born 1952), American amateur golfer and golf administrator *

Florida Ruffin Ridley Florida Ruffin Ridley (born Florida Yates Ruffin; January 29, 1861 – February 25, 1943) was an African-American civil rights activist, suffragist, teacher, writer, and editor from Boston, Massachusetts. She was one of the first black public sch ...

(1861–1943), African-American civil rights activist, teacher, writer, and editor * Gary Ridley (1945-2022), American engineers *

George Ridley (Labour politician) George Ridley (29 November 1886 – 4 January 1944) was a Labour Party politician in England. He was elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Clay Cross Clay Cross is a town and a civil parish in the North East Derbyshire district of ...

(1886–1944), British Member of Parliament * George Ridley (Whig politician) (1818–1887), British Member of Parliament *

Greg Ridley Alfred Gregory Ridley (23 October 1941 – 19 November 2003) was an English bassist who was the bassist and a founding member of the rock band Humble Pie and Spooky Tooth. Career Ridley was born in Carlisle, Cumberland, England. Early in h ...

(1942–2003), English rock bassist *

Harold Ridley (Jesuit) Harold Edward "Hap" Ridley SJ (June 20, 1939 – January 18, 2005) was the 23rd President of Loyola College in Maryland from July 1, 1994 until his death. Early life and career Born in Jersey City, New Jersey he joined the Jesuits in 1956, and was ...

(1939–2005), President of Loyola College, Maryland (1994–2005) *

Harold Ridley (ophthalmologist) Sir Nicholas Harold Lloyd Ridley (10 July 1906 – 25 May 2001) was an English ophthalmologist who invented the intraocular lens and pioneered intraocular lens surgery for cataract patients. Early years Nicholas Harold Lloyd Ridley was born in ...

(1906–2001), English ophthalmologist *

Henry Nicholas Ridley Henry Nicholas Ridley CMG (1911), MA (Oxon), FRS, FLS, F.R.H.S. (10 December 1855 – 24 October 1956) was an English botanist, geologist and naturalist who lived much of his life in Singapore. He was instrumental in promoting rubber trees i ...

(1855–1956), English botanist * Humphrey Ridley (1653–1708), English physician *

Ian Ridley Ian Jeffrey Ridley (15 February 1934 – 13 November 2008) was an Australian rules footballer who played for Melbourne in the VFL. Playing career Ridley was a rover who was handy around goals and a 5-time premiership player with Melbourne. He ...

(1934–2008), Australian rules footballer *

Jack Ridley (engineer) John Wallace Ridley (29 April 1919 – 23 August 2006) was a New Zealand Member of Parliament for in the North Island, a Rhodes Scholar and a civil engineer. He was notable for his contributions to hydro engineering. Early years Ridley was ...

(1919–2006), New Zealand civil engineer and politician * Jack Ridley (pilot) (1915–1957), American aeronautical engineer, and U.S. Air Force test pilot and officer * James Ridley (footballer), English footballer *

Jane Ridley Jane Ridley (born 15 May 1953) is an English historian, biographer, author and broadcaster, and Professor of Modern History at the University of Buckingham. Ridley won the Duff Cooper Prize in 2002 for ''The Architect and his Wife'', a biography ...

(born 1953), British biographer *

Jasper Nicholas Ridley Hon. Sir Jasper Nicholas Ridley (6 January 1887 – 1 October 1951) was a British barrister, banker, and agriculturalist. He was also chairman of the Trustees of the Tate Gallery and a Trustee of the British Museum and of the National Gallery. Ea ...

(1887–1951), British banker *

Jasper Ridley Jasper Godwin Ridley, FRSL (25 May 1920 – 1 July 2004) was a British writer, known for historical biographies. He received the 1970 James Tait Black Memorial Prize for his biography of ''Lord Palmerston''. Born in West Hoathly, Sussex, he was ...

(1920–2004), British writer known for historical biographies * Jeanne Clare Ridley (1925–2007), American sociologist, statistician, and demographer *

John Ridley John Ridley IV (born 1965) is an American screenwriter, television director, novelist, and showrunner, known for '' 12 Years a Slave'', for which he won an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. He is also the creator and showrunner of the a ...

(born 1965), American film director, actor, and writer *

John Ridley (footballer) John Ridley (27 April 1952 – 3 May 2020) was an English footballer. A versatile player able to play as a defender or midfielder, he had a twelve-year professional career in the English Football League, playing for Port Vale and Chesterfiel ...

(born 1952), English soccer player *

John Ridley (inventor) John Ridley (26 May 1806 – 25 November 1887) was an English miller, inventor, landowner, investor, farming machinery manufacturer, farmer and preacher who lived in Australia between 1839 and 1853. He is best known for the development, manufact ...

(1806–1887), best known for "Ridley's Stripper" * John S. Ridley (1882–1934), Canadian politician *

Lancelot Ridley Lancelot Ridley (died 1576), was an English clergyman, known as a theological writer, and rector of St James' Church, Stretham, St James' Church, Stretham, Cambridgeshire. Life He was educated at Clare Hall, Cambridge, and proceeded Bachelor of ...

(died 1576), divinity rector of Stretham and father of physician Mark Ridley *

Mabel Ridley Mabel Ridley (January 1894 – April 18, 1938) was an American mezzo-soprano singer who appeared in Broadway theatre and revues in the 1920s and 1930s. Early life Mabel Ridley was born in Augusta, Georgia, to Charles and Katherine Ridley in Janu ...

(1895–1938), African-American singer * Malcolm Ridley (born 1966), actor and writer *

Mark Ridley (physician) Dr Mark Ridley (1560 – c. 1624) was an English physician and lexicographer, born in Stretham, Cambridgeshire, to Lancelot Ridley. He became physician to the English merchants in Russia, and then personal physician to the Tsar of Russia ...

(1560–1624), English physician and mathematician *

Mark Ridley (zoologist) Mark Ridley (born 1956) is a British zoologist and writer on evolution. He studied at both Oxford and Cambridge in the 1980s (his doctoral advisor being Richard Dawkins), and later worked at Emory University. he worked as a research assistan ...

(born 1956), English zoologist *

Matt Ridley Matthew White Ridley, 5th Viscount Ridley, (born 7 February 1958), is a British science writer, journalist and businessman. He is known for his writings on science, the environment, and economics and has been a regular contributor to ''Th ...

(born 1958), British science writer, financier *

Matthew Ridley, 1st Viscount Ridley Matthew White Ridley, 1st Viscount Ridley, (25 July 1842 – 28 November 1904), known as Sir Matthew White Ridley, 5th Baronet, from 1877 to 1900, was a British Conservative statesman. He notably served as Home Secretary from 1895 to 1900. Bac ...

(1842–1904), British politician and statesman *

Roy Ridley Maurice Roy Ridley (25 January 1890, in Orcheston St Mary – 12 June 1969) was a writer and poet, Fellow and Chaplain of Balliol College, Oxford. He was also a visiting professor at Bowdoin under the auspices of the Tallman Foundation, and ...

(1890–1969), academic, writer and poet *

Mike Ridley Michael Owen Guy Ridley (born July 8, 1963) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played in the NHL for 12 seasons from 1985 until 1997. Ridley signed with the New York Rangers as an undrafted free agent in September 1985. Ridle ...

(born 1963), ice hockey centre *

Nicholas Ridley (martyr) Nicholas Ridley ( – 16 October 1555) was an English Bishop of London (the only bishop called "Bishop of London and Westminster"). Ridley was one of the Oxford Martyrs burned at the stake during the Marian Persecutions, for his teachings and ...

(died 1555), English bishop *

Nicholas Ridley, Baron Ridley of Liddesdale Nicholas Ridley, Baron Ridley of Liddesdale, (17 February 1929 – 4 March 1993), was a British Conservative Party politician and government minister. As President of the Selsdon Group, a free-market lobby within the Conservative Party, he was ...

(1929–1993), British politician *

Philip Ridley Philip Ridley (born 1957 in East London) is an English storyteller working in a wide range of artistic media. As a visual artist he has been cited as a contemporary of the 'Young British Artists', and had his artwork exhibited internationally. ...

(born 1964), British artist *

Riley Ridley Cavin Riley Ridley (born July 21, 1996) is an American football wide receiver who is a free agent. He played college football at Georgia Bulldogs football, Georgia. Early years Ridley attended Deerfield Beach High School in Deerfield Beach, Flo ...

(born 1996) American football player * Rita Ridley (1946–2013), English runner *

Rosalind Ridley Rosalind Ridley is a British psychologist and researcher who was head of the Medical Research Council (United Kingdom) Comparative Cognition Research Team in the Department of Psychology, Cambridge, UK, until 2005. She was a fellow of Newnham Coll ...

(born 1949) Neuropsychologist * Stevan Ridley (born 1989), American football player *

Yvonne Ridley Yvonne Ridley (born 23 April 1958) is a British journalist, author and politician who holds several committee positions with the Alba Party in Scotland. She was a former chair of the National Council of the now-defunct Respect Party. Ridley m ...

(born 1958), English journalist

Given name

Ridley Jacobs Ridley Detamore Jacobs (born 26 November 1967) is a former Antiguan cricketer, who played as a left-handed wicketkeeper batsman for the West Indian cricket team in the late 1990s and early 2000s. He was the first opening batsman to carry his bat ...

(born 1967), West Indian cricketer *

Ridley Pakenham-Walsh Major General Ridley Pakenham Pakenham-Walsh, (29 April 1888 – 3 November 1966) was a senior British Army officer who served as Engineer-in-Chief of the British Expeditionary Force in the Battle of France and later as General Officer Comman ...

(1888–1966), British general *

Ridley Scott Sir Ridley Scott (born 30 November 1937) is a British film director and producer. Directing, among others, science fiction films, his work is known for its atmospheric and highly concentrated visual style. Scott has received many accolades thr ...

(born 1937), English film director *

Ridley Pearson Ridley Pearson (born March 13, 1953 in Glen Cove, New York) is an American author of suspense and thriller novels for adults, and adventure books for children. Some of his books have appeared on ''The New York Times'' Best Seller list. Literary ...

(born 1953), American Author

References

{{given name, type=both English-language surnames

People

Surname

Given name

See also

References