Surname Ribble - Meaning and Origin
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Ribble: What does the surname Ribble mean?
The surname Ribble is of English origin, derived from the River Ribble in Lancashire. Historically, surnames often reflected a person's occupation, place of residence or a significant landmark. In this case, those bearing the name Ribble were likely inhabitants near the River Ribble. The river's name itself is believed to originate from the Old English words "ribel" or "ripel" meaning "stream". Placement-based surnames like Ribble became more common in England during the Middle Ages as populations expanded and travel became more prevalent, making it necessary to distinguish people by more than just their given names. Thus, the last name Ribble is a topographic surname for individuals who resided near this river. Please note that while this is a likely interpretation, the exact origin of individual surnames can be challenging to trace definitively due to record keeping practices and the evolution of language.
Order DNA origin analysisRibble: Where does the name Ribble come from?
The last name Ribble is most common in the United Kingdom, particularly in England. The Ribble surname is most common in the Lancashire region of England, with concentrations in Manchester, Liverpool and Preston. In the United Kingdom, Ribble is the 9,081st most common surname. Beyond the United Kingdom, Ribble is thought to be most common in the United States, although its specific frequency is unknown due to its low ranking relative to other surnames.
Ribble is likely derived from a Middle English place name, Rible, first found in the county of Lancashire which is located in the northwest of England. It is thought that Rible may be derived from an English dialect term for “a place of rushes”, referring to a wetland area with a high abundance of rushes or reeds.
The Ribble surname has been found in records dating as far back as 1379, when the village of Wigan, which is located near Manchester, was recorded in the Medieval Taxation Rolls. Records have been found for later centuries, such as the Muster Rolls of 1539 where Thomas Ribble of Darwen in Lancashire is listed, and in the Hearth Tax returns of 1664.
Today, the Ribble surname is still strongly associated with the Lancashire region of England, although it also occurs in other parts of England and Scotland, as well as in other countries worldwide.
Variations of the surname Ribble
The surname Ribble has several variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin.
The most common spelling of Ribble is Rible. It is also spelled Reable, Reibble, Riblee, Ryble, Rybell, Ridell, Rydell, and Rybell.
The surnames of the same origin as Ribble, include Rible, Rybell, Ridelly, and Rayble. These spellings have a similar etymological origin, which can be traced back to the family name from the Old French word ribault, meaning “a stream”.
The surname Ribble is believed to have first originated in Scotland, but was brought over to England by settlers in the 11th century. Over time, these variants began to appear and spread further throughout the British Isles.
It is also believed that some bearers of the name Ribble may have adopted it as a mistranslation of the Middle English word ribald, which means “foolish or wicked”.
The Ribble surname exists today primarily in areas of northern England, including Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Cheshire.
It is possible that Ribble is a quite uncommonly-used surname, as it does not appear in the top 100 most popular surnames in England and Wales in 2020. However, the variants mentioned above have a more significant presence in this list of top surnames.
Overall, the surname Ribble has several variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin, which can be traced back to the same original family and share a similar etymological origin.
Famous people with the name Ribble
- David Ribble- a former American politician who served in the House of Representatives from Georgia from 1953 to 1963.
- Don Ribble- a software engineer and entrepreneur who is the founder and CEO of Ribbletech, a digital agency.
- Chris Ribble- a former American soccer coach and player who was an assistant coach of the New York Cosmos.
- Shane Ribble- a professional football player who played for the NFL's Cincinnati Bengals from 2004 to 2007.
- Kelly Ribble- an American artist and one of the founders of the Ribble Group, a collective of contemporary artists.
- Richie Ribble- a professional bass fisherman and the captain of the fishing charter, Cast & Blast Charters.
- Donny Ribble- an American reality television personality who has appeared on several reality shows, such as Wives & Lovers TV.
- Ray Ribble- a retired American basketball player who played in both the NBA and the ABA during the 1970s and early 1980s.
- Paul Ribble- a former American professional boxer who held the World Lightweight Championship.
- Scott Ribble- an American film director, writer, editor, and producer, best known for his feature film, The Coincidence.