# Ridley (name)

Ridley is a surname and given name that originated from locations in Cheshire, Kent, Northumberland, and Essex counties in England. The name derives from Old English, either hrēod (reeds) + lēah (wood or clearing), or rydde (cleared land) + lēah.

## Surname

* Aaron Ridley, British philosopher
* Aaron J. Ridley, American atmospheric researcher
* Adam Ridley (born 1942), British economist
* Alan Ridley (1910–1993), Australian rugby league footballer who played in the 1920s and 1930s
* Alice Tan Ridley (born 1952), gospel and R&B singer
* Andrew Ridley (born 1968), Australian cricketer
* Arnold Ridley (1896–1984), English actor
* Bill Ridley (1934–2019), American basketball player
* Brian Ridley (born 1931), British solid-state physicist
* Calvin Ridley (born 1994), American football player
* Cicely Ridley (1927–2008), British-American applied mathematician
* Cyril Ridley (1895–1920), British World War I flying ace
* Daisy Ridley (born 1992), English actress
* Dave Ridley (1916–1998), Welsh footballer
* David Ridley (born 1954), English cricketer
* F. A. Ridley (1897–1994), British marxist, secularist, and writer
* Fred Ridley (born 1952), American amateur golfer and golf administrator
* Florida Ruffin Ridley (1861–1943), African-American civil rights activist, teacher, writer, and editor
* Gary Ridley (1945-2022), American engineers
* George Ridley (Labour politician) (1886–1944), British Member of Parliament
* George Ridley (Whig politician) (1818–1887), British Member of Parliament
* Greg Ridley (1942–2003), English rock bassist
* Harold Ridley (Jesuit) (1939–2005), President of Loyola College, Maryland (1994–2005)
* Harold Ridley (ophthalmologist) (1906–2001), English ophthalmologist
* Henry Nicholas Ridley (1855–1956), English botanist
* Humphrey Ridley (1653–1708), English physician
* Ian Ridley (1934–2008), Australian rules footballer
* Jack Ridley (engineer) (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 (born 1953), British biographer
* Jasper Nicholas Ridley (1887–1951), British banker
* Jasper Ridley (1920–2004), British writer known for historical biographies
* Jeanne Clare Ridley (1925–2007), American sociologist, statistician, and demographer
* John Ridley (born 1965), American film director, actor, and writer
* John Ridley (footballer) (1952–2020), English soccer player
* John Ridley (inventor) (1806–1887), best known for "Ridley's Stripper"
* John S. Ridley (1882–1934), Canadian politician
* Lancelot Ridley (died 1576), divinity rector of Stretham and father of physician Mark Ridley
* Mabel Ridley (1895–1938), African-American singer
* Michael Ridley (born 1955), English author, archaeologist and orientalist
* Malcolm Ridley (born 1966), actor and writer
* Mark Ridley (physician) (1560–1624), English physician and mathematician
* Mark Ridley (zoologist) (born 1956), English zoologist
* Matt Ridley (born 1958), British science writer, financier
* Matthew Ridley, 1st Viscount Ridley (1842–1904), British politician and statesman
* Roy Ridley (1890–1969), academic, writer and poet
* Mike Ridley (born 1963), ice hockey centre
* Nicholas Ridley (martyr) (died 1555), English bishop
* Nicholas Ridley, Baron Ridley of Liddesdale (1929–1993), British politician
* Philip Ridley (born 1964), British artist
* Riley Ridley (born 1996) American football player
* Rita Ridley (1946–2013), English runner
* Rosalind Ridley (born 1949) Neuropsychologist
* Stevan Ridley (born 1989), American football player
* Yvonne Ridley (born 1958), English journalist

## Given name

* Ridley Burton (1893–1974), English professional footballer
* Ridley Bent (born 1979), Canadian country singer-songwriter
* Ridley Duppuy (1881–1944), Anglican bishop
* Ridly Greig (born 2002), Canadian professional ice hockey player
* Ridley Haim Herschell (1807–1864), Polish-born British minister
* Ridley Jacobs (born 1967), West Indian cricketer
* Ridley McLean (1872–1933), US Navy Admiral
* Ridley Pakenham-Walsh (1888–1966), British general
* Ridley Pearson (born 1953), American Author
* Ridley Plaisted (1885–1954), Australian rules footballer
* Ridley Scott (born 1937), English film director
* Ridley Wills II (born 1934), American author and historian