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Ripley Surname Meaning & Origin

What the Ripley last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.

Order your pack and our heraldry team researches and paints the Ripley coat of arms for you.

Meaning and origin of the Ripley last name

Meaning of the Ripley last name: strip clearing. Ripley is an English surname from Ripley in Yorkshire, Surrey and Derbyshire, "strip clearing". Ripley Castle in Yorkshire has been held by the Ingilby family for centuries. Robert Ripley, of Believe It or Not, carried this last name. The surname is common in Yorkshire.

Arms associated with the Ripley name

Coats of arms associated with the Ripley last name belong to the English heraldic tradition, each with its own blazon.

Get your full Ripley family history

This is only a glimpse of the Ripley story. The full Ripley history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Ripley coat of arms. Get the full Ripley report.

Ripley name FAQ

What does the Ripley name mean?

Strip clearing. Common variants include Riply.

Where does the Ripley surname come from?

It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Australia.

Is there a Ripley coat of arms?

Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Ripley coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.

Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).