Surname Ratliffe - Meaning and Origin

Ratliffe: What does the surname Ratliffe mean?

Ratliffe is an English surname of Old Norse origin. It is a habitation name, which refers to names derived from places. It stems from the place called 'Radcliffe' in Lancashire and Nottinghamshire. The name is a combination of the Old Norse terms "rað" (meaning "red") and "klif" (meaning "cliff" or "bank"). Thus, the surname is often interpreted as "dweller by the red cliff" or "red cliff/bank." Over time and with linguistic transformations, 'Radcliffe' evolved into various forms, including Ratliffe and Ratcliffe. The name's variations resulted from the different dialects and languages used by scribes and clerks who recorded names in ancient documents. As a result, the name Ratliffe would often have pertained to someone living nearby or on a reddish cliff or slope. Its bearers could trace their origins back to Viking settlers. Over the years, those bearing the Ratliffe name migrated to various parts of the world, such as America and Australia, making it a common surname in English-speaking nations.

Ratliffe: Where does the name Ratliffe come from?

The last name Ratliffe is most commonly found in the northeastern United States. It is chiefly found in Virginia, where it is the tenth most common last name in the state, accounting for about 0.2 percent of the population. This is likely due to its being an English and Irish surname which was brought to the United States by settlers in the late 17th and 18th centuries. Ratliffe is also relatively common in Maryland, accounting for 0.1 percent of the population. It is slightly less common in the rest of the northeast, showing up in small numbers in the area's other states. It is much less common in other parts of the United States, with only 0.02 percent of the population having the last name Ratliffe in the South and Midwest, and even less in the western states.

Variations of the surname Ratliffe

Ratliffe is an English surname that originated from the Lancashire area of England. It is most likely derived from either the Old Norse element "hroð" meaning "fame", or from the Old English elements "rade" meaning "route", and "līf" meaning "life".

Variants of the surname Ratliffe include Ratcliffe, Rathiffe, Ratliff, Ratliff, Ratlif, Racliffe, Ratclif, Ratcliffe, Rattclif, Raycliff, and Raclif.

The most common phonetic variation of the surname Ratliffe is Ratcliffe, which is also found in several spellings such as Rathcliffe, Ratcliff, Ratlyffe, Ratlif, Ratlyf, and Ratliff.

Other spellings of the surname Ratliffe include Ratliff, Ratlefe, Ratlife, Ratleff, Ratleafe, Radclife, Ratlyf, Ratleufe, Radliff, and Ratlyfe.

The most common surnames derived from the Ratliffe family are Ratcliff, Ratcliffe, Rathcliffe, Ratliff, Ratlif, and Ratlefe.

In other parts of England, spellings of the name may differ again such as Ratclyf, Rathlyf, Racleff, and Radclawfe.

Surnames that have evolved from Ratliffe include Ratcliffe, Ratcleff, Radcliff, Rathcliff, Ratcliff, Ratlefe, Radcliffe, Radliff, Radlyf, and Rathlyf.

The name Ratliffe has also crossed over into countries such as Canada, the United, States, Australia and New Zealand, where some of the surname spellings have been adjusted and adapted to match the regional languages of those countries.

Overall, Ratliffe is one of the few surnames that are still known to be common in all parts of the English speaking world.

Famous people with the name Ratliffe

• Daniel Ratliffe: British actor best known for his role as Harry Potter in the worldwide movie phenomenon.
• USA Bobsledder Steve Ratliffe: won a silver medal at the 1988 Calgary Olympics in bobsled.
• Doc Ratliffe: former professional basketball player for the Charlotte Hornets.
• Uriel Ratliffe: professional football player for the Los Angeles Rams.
• Carroll Ratliffe: former American football player and coach.
• Ritchie Ratliffe: former English cricketer.
• Dennis Ratliffe: former American football player and coach.
• Archie Ratliffe: former Major League Baseball player.
• Willie Ratliffe: former professional basketball player.
• Garrett Ratliffe: professional road cyclist.
• Toni Ratliffe: American Broadway/Film actress and singer.
• Henry Ratliffe: Major League Baseball pitcher.
• David Ratliffe: Canadian visual artist.
• J.T. Ratliffe: American illustrator.
• Collin Ratliffe: American musician and songwriter.
• Lindsey Ratliffe: British ice figure skater.
• Derek Ratliffe: American skydiver.
• Lindsey Ratliffe: former English footballer.
• Jack Ratliffe: British television producer.
• Kayla Ratliffe: former American television actress.

Other surnames

Ratliff