Riley is used as a family name or surname in Ireland. It is 5 characters long in length.

Family Name / Last Name: Riley
No. of characters: 5
Origin: Ireland
Meaning:

The lastname Riley is a variant form of O'Reilly. Grandson of Raghallach, i.e., the sportive one.

Grandson of Raghallach meaning "sportive".

The form of the O'Reilly. The family claim descent "from Brian, the fourth Milesian king of Connaught. The name was derived from an ancestor called Ragallagh—by softened pronunciation Reilly—who lived at the commencement of the eleventh century. His grandson Targaille, prince of East Brefny, was the first who used the name of Ua Ragallagh or O'Reilly".

Family name Riley is form of Reilly. An Irish personal name, usually prefixed with O'.

Probably derived from a place in Brittany, formerly called Rilley or Relay, the seat of an Abbey of Augustinians, in the diocese of Rennes. In the parish-registers of Newchurch, in Rossendale, county of Lancaster, the name of the Rileys was almost uniformly spelt Rilay, down to the middle of the XVIII century.

How popular is Riley?

Riley is common in United States, England, Australia, Canada, Jamaica, New Zealand, South Africa, Scotland, Wales, Trinidad and Tobago, France, Thailand, Barbados, Ireland, Spain, Northern Ireland, Bahamas, Panama, Saudi Arabia, Germany, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Netherlands, Zimbabwe.

Riley is ranked 2224 on our list.

Despite the fact that the number of Riley bearers increased by 4.62 per cent in 2010 US census to 133872 since 2000, the surname slipped by 7 spots and ranked at 217. The last name was found in around 5 per ten thousand population. Please refer to following table for race and ethnicity.

Race 2010 2000
White 72.79 75.08
Black 21.27 20.52
Hispanic or Latino 2.48 1.68
Others 2.08 1.51
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.87 0.81
Asian and Native Hawaiian
& Other Pacific Islander		 0.51 0.39
Riley is quite popular family name mostly used in United States while Montserrat is ahead in terms of density. Around 246466 people have been found who wears Riley as their family name. Riley is used widely across the globe. More detailed information can be found below:
RankCountryCount
Countries with hundred thousands of Riley:
207 United States170,024
Countries with ten thousands of Riley:
150 England39,232
245 Australia14,086
Countries with thousands of Riley:
753 Canada7,095
147 Jamaica3,695
267 New Zealand2,257
3,073 South Africa2,241
721 Scotland1,281
319 Wales1,045
Countries with hundreds of Riley:
309 Trinidad and Tobago749
27,226 France380
35,550 Thailand332
220 Barbados320
1,777 Ireland294
12,901 Spain254
1,318 Northern Ireland239
281 Bahamas232
1,532 Panama159
29,524 Saudi Arabia159
44,015 Germany154
3,650 Dominican Republic131
13,136 Mexico124
21,355 Netherlands121
19,081 Zimbabwe103
Countries with low frequency i.e., 50 - 100:
2,231 Singapore98
3,740 Guatemala85
220 Antigua and Barbuda79
164 Saint Kitts and Nevis69
8,046 Denmark68
14,966 Israel61
205 Guernsey59
187 Bermuda56
288 Jersey54
1,608 Costa Rica53
Countries with very low frequency i.e., 10 - 50:
13,911 Sweden49
2,158 Guyana47
126,090 Brazil44
375 Isle of Man43
355 Aruba42
16,659 Norway40
24 Montserrat39
495 United States Virgin Islands38
1,975 China37
138,859 Philippines35
38,592 Belgium33
40,874 Czechia32
78,351 Argentina31
14,967 Kuwait29
22,806 Switzerland29
12,265 Portugal28
197 British Virgin Islands24
248,576 Russia24
396,143 India23
371 Cayman Islands22
3,169 Hong Kong20
61,770 Malaysia20
5,642 Suriname19
43,528 Japan17
1,526 Guam16
19,343 Iraq16
7,075 Cyprus13
368 Gambia13
17,028 Afghanistan12
122 Anguilla11
2,447 Iceland11
110,230 Italy11
Countries with very very low frequency i.e., 6 - 10:
132,137 Poland10
70,786 Austria9
64,129 Slovakia9
101,897 Papua New Guinea8
1,091 South Korea8
33,195 Chile7
520,071 Indonesia7
668 Monaco7
327,793 Nigeria7
39,591 Venezuela7
41,832 Finland6
991 Gibraltar6
55,922 Qatar6
Show Full Last Name Distribution

Immigrants to US

From Ireland

Printer Richard Riley from Great Britain aboard the Prince Albert from London during the Irish famine. He is registered to be 43 years old when he arrived in USA on March 13, 1846. John Riley (20), Catherine Riley, aged 13, Cathe. Riley (20) Maid, 21 years old Anne Riley, Mary Riley (20) Maid, Thomas Riley, aged 18, Margret Riley, aged 26, Mary Riley (18) Corset-Stay Maker or Stay Maker, and 1612 other Riley around 54.57% of whom were workman while others worked as servant and spinster, farmer, milliner, shop keeper, tailoress, shoemaker, joiner, carpenter, polisher, clerk, seamstress, mason, baker, weaver, spinner, dressmaker, gardner/grower, bricklayer, house keeper, farmers &, mechanics, laborers migrated to US.

From Germany

29 years old farmer Rosine Riley who was residing in Germany migrated to New York on June 29, 1857 by Devonshire put out from London. Alice Riley, aged 35, Tailor J. Riley, William Riley, aged 21, 25 years old Ngt. Riley, 40 years old Ann Riley, 21 years old Mo. Riley, Charles Riley (66) Laborer, are others that migrated to US from Liverpool, Hamburg, Liverpool & Queenstown and Hamburg & Havre.

Riley Namesakes

  • Audrey Riley, cellist and string arranger based in the UK.
  • Dorothy Comstock Riley, lawyer and judge from the U.S. state of Michigan
  • Charley Riley, inductee of the Boxing Hall of Fame
  • John H. Riley, American attorney and railroad transportation administrator
  • Joseph Harvey Riley, American ornithologist
  • Denise Riley, English poet and philosopher
  • Freida J. Riley, American science and math teacher
  • Ronald Riley, retired field hockey striker from Australia,
  • James McIlvaine Riley, is one of the founders of the Sigma Nu fraternity
  • Arthur Dewhurst Riley, English born New Zealand artist
  • Burke Riley, American legislator
  • Melanie Riley, corporate and public affairs expert
  • Malcolm Riley, composer and author most associated for his work as a scholar of the work of Percy Whitlock
  • Doug Riley, Canadian musician, also known as Dr
  • Arthur Riley, South African international footballer
  • Trevor Riley, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory
  • Ivan Riley, American athlete
  • Peter Riley, contemporary English poet, essayist, and editor
  • Howard W. Riley, He served as head of the department until his retirement
  • Thomas W. Riley, twelfth Mayor of Louisville
  • Phil Riley, was Chief Executive of Chrysalis Radio
  • Harry Riley, English first-class cricketer
  • Gwendoline Riley, English writer
  • Daniel Edward Riley, politician, Insurance agent
  • Lawrence Riley, successful American playwright and screenwriter
  • Alexander Riley, merchant and one of the most important early pastoralists in Sydney and
  • Death of Rebecca Riley, the daughter of Michael and Carolyn Riley and resident of Hull
  • William Bell Riley, was known as "The Grand Old Man of Fundamentalism
  • Charles Valentine Riley, British-born American entomologist and artist
  • Norman Riley, Emeritus Professor of Applied Mathematics at the University of East Anglia
  • Gordon Arthur Riley, American biological oceanographer most associated with his studies of the dynamics of plankton ecosystems
  • Terry Riley, pioneer
  • Bridget Riley, English painter
  • Bob C. Riley, American educator and politician
  • Gina Riley, Australian actress, writer, singer and comedian
  • Pat Riley, American professional basketball executive
  • Bob Riley, American politician and a member of the Republican Party
  • Teddy Riley, American singer, songwriter
  • Marc Riley, English radio DJ
  • James Whitcomb Riley, American writer, poet, and best-selling author
  • Bennet C. Riley, seventh and last military governor of California
  • Mike Riley, American football coach and former player
  • Herman Riley, jazz saxophonist
  • Richard Riley, American politician
  • Bridgett Riley, female boxer and motion picture stuntwoman
  • Andy Riley, British author, cartoonist
  • Matt Riley, retired baseball player
  • Jeannie C. Riley, American country music and gospel singer
  • Harold William Hounsfield Riley, Harold William Hounsfield Riley Sr
  • Gary Riley, former American character actor with about thirty credits encompassing theatrical and made-for-TV films as well as episodes of TV series
  • Lisa Riley, English television presenter and actress best
  • Isaac Riley, politician in Manitoba, Canada
  • Ruth Riley, Her Notre Dame team won the NCAA women's championship
  • Michael Riley, Canadian actor

Riley Namesakes

  • Audrey Riley, cellist and string arranger based in the UK.
  • Dorothy Comstock Riley, lawyer and judge from the U.S. state of Michigan
  • Charley Riley, inductee of the Boxing Hall of Fame
  • John H. Riley, American attorney and railroad transportation administrator
  • Joseph Harvey Riley, American ornithologist
  • Denise Riley, English poet and philosopher
  • Freida J. Riley, American science and math teacher
  • Ronald Riley, retired field hockey striker from Australia,
  • James McIlvaine Riley, is one of the founders of the Sigma Nu fraternity
  • Arthur Dewhurst Riley, English born New Zealand artist
  • Burke Riley, American legislator
  • Melanie Riley, corporate and public affairs expert
  • Malcolm Riley, composer and author most associated for his work as a scholar of the work of Percy Whitlock
  • Doug Riley, Canadian musician, also known as Dr
  • Arthur Riley, South African international footballer
  • Trevor Riley, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory
  • Ivan Riley, American athlete
  • Peter Riley, contemporary English poet, essayist, and editor
  • Howard W. Riley, He served as head of the department until his retirement
  • Thomas W. Riley, twelfth Mayor of Louisville
  • Phil Riley, was Chief Executive of Chrysalis Radio
  • Harry Riley, English first-class cricketer
  • Gwendoline Riley, English writer
  • Daniel Edward Riley, politician, Insurance agent
  • Lawrence Riley, successful American playwright and screenwriter
  • Alexander Riley, merchant and one of the most important early pastoralists in Sydney and
  • Death of Rebecca Riley, the daughter of Michael and Carolyn Riley and resident of Hull
  • William Bell Riley, was known as "The Grand Old Man of Fundamentalism
  • Charles Valentine Riley, British-born American entomologist and artist
  • Norman Riley, Emeritus Professor of Applied Mathematics at the University of East Anglia
  • Gordon Arthur Riley, American biological oceanographer most associated with his studies of the dynamics of plankton ecosystems
  • Terry Riley, pioneer
  • Bridget Riley, English painter
  • Bob C. Riley, American educator and politician
  • Gina Riley, Australian actress, writer, singer and comedian
  • Pat Riley, American professional basketball executive
  • Bob Riley, American politician and a member of the Republican Party
  • Teddy Riley, American singer, songwriter
  • Marc Riley, English radio DJ
  • James Whitcomb Riley, American writer, poet, and best-selling author
  • Bennet C. Riley, seventh and last military governor of California
  • Mike Riley, American football coach and former player
  • Herman Riley, jazz saxophonist
  • Richard Riley, American politician
  • Bridgett Riley, female boxer and motion picture stuntwoman
  • Andy Riley, British author, cartoonist
  • Matt Riley, retired baseball player
  • Jeannie C. Riley, American country music and gospel singer
  • Harold William Hounsfield Riley, Harold William Hounsfield Riley Sr
  • Gary Riley, former American character actor with about thirty credits encompassing theatrical and made-for-TV films as well as episodes of TV series
  • Lisa Riley, English television presenter and actress best
  • Isaac Riley, politician in Manitoba, Canada
  • Ruth Riley, Her Notre Dame team won the NCAA women's championship
  • Michael Riley, Canadian actor

Related Family Names: