"Yorkshire" refers to the large historic county in England, while "East Riding of Yorkshire" is one of the three traditional divisions ("ridings") within Yorkshire, essentially a smaller administrative area within the larger Yorkshire region; today, "East Riding of Yorkshire" is considered a separate ceremonial county in its own right, while Yorkshire is no longer an official administrative county, instead being split into three smaller counties including the East Riding.[1] The geographic county and unitary authority take their name from the East Riding, a division of the historic county of Yorkshire, but they do not cover the same area as this historic division, which, like the geographic county, includes Hull.[1] The population of East Riding of Yorkshire is 346,309 according to mid-2022 population figures published by the ONS. East Riding of Yorkshire's population growth rate between mid-2021 and mid-2022 was 0.9% per year. East Riding of Yorkshire covers an area of 2,405 square kilometres (929 square miles) and has a population density of 144 people per square kilometre (km2), based on the latest population estimates taken in mid-2022.[2]
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East Riding of Yorkshire: landscape, industry, agriculture, and attractionsEast Riding of Yorkshire: landscape, industry, agriculture, and attractions
The East Riding of Yorkshire landscape in England is characterized by a striking mix of rolling chalk hills known as the Yorkshire Wolds, the flat, fertile plains of Holderness, and a dramatic coastline with towering chalk cliffs, making it a visually diverse and ecologically significant area.[3] The industry in East Riding has a thriving chemicals cluster, including companies that specialize in personal care, agro-chemicals, and more. The region is also home to Croda, a FTSE-listed smart science company that played a key role in the production of Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine.[4]
The area’s specialist caravan-manufacturing traditions remain strong within the East Riding – having the largest concentration of caravan and mobile home manufacturers in the country. A grand total of 90% of the UK’s static caravan and lodge manufacturing is undertaken in the area.[4] The East Riding is home to over 2,000 agriculture and food manufacturing businesses, employing over 8,000 people and contributing to a quarter of the Yorkshire and Humber region’s agricultural gross value added.[5] The are many interesting places to visit in East Riding of Yorkshire. Burnby Hall Gardens and Museum have justifiably been called “a jewel in Yorkshire’s crown” and are home to a National Collection of over eighty varieties of Hardy Water Lilies which bloom on the Upper and Lower Lakes between June and August.[6] Bempton’s towering chalk cliffs have awe inspiring views. Burton Agnes Hall is an Elizabethan stately home that has remained in the same family for over 400 years.[7] Beverley Minsteris a 1300 year old cathedral.
East Riding of Yorkshire historyEast Riding of Yorkshire history
The area of East Riding of Yorkshire was first occupied around 8000 BC after the ice age retreated. The Arras culture, which lived in the middle Iron Age, buried their dead in square burial mounds, which was uncommon in the rest of the country. A burial monument with human remains thought to be about 4,500 years old was recently discovered in East Yorkshire.[8]
The Romans occupied the area during the first millennium AD. One of the earliest Roman settlements in the region was discovered, and the artifacts found suggest it may have been a mansio, or government-maintained stopping place along roads. Brough is thought to be the site of the tribal capital of the Parisi, who lived in eastern Yorkshire during the Roman period.[9]
The Angles, Saxons and Jutes began colonizing eastern England from the fifth century onwards before settling in the rest of the country.[10] During the 17th century, the East Riding of Yorkshire remained predominantly a rural agrarian region. Land ownership was concentrated among a few large landowners, including the Crown, following the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the mid-16th century. While Beverley emerged as the administrative center and witnessed some social and economic development, the broader region remained largely engaged in traditional agricultural practices. The political and religious upheavals of the era, such as the English Civil War, significantly impacted the region's stability and economic prosperity.[11]
In the 18th century, the East Riding of Yorkshire was primarily a rural, agricultural region undergoing significant changes due to the "Agricultural Revolution," characterized by land enclosure, improved farming techniques, and the consolidation of land holdings into larger estates, which led to increased agricultural productivity and a shift in the social landscape with smaller farmers being pushed off their land to become laborers on larger farms or migrate to growing urban centers; the region also saw the development of a canal network to improve transportation of goods, particularly through the canalization of the River Derwent and the construction of canals linking towns like Beverley and Driffield to the River Hull.[11]
In the 19th century, the East Riding of Yorkshire was primarily an agricultural region, experiencing a boom in farming due to the demand for grain from the rapidly industrializing towns in the West Riding, with the port of Hull serving as a crucial export point for agricultural produce; the development of a railway network further facilitated this trade, also leading to the growth of coastal resorts like Bridlington and Hornsea as holiday destinations for people accessing the area via rail.
The East Riding, in the original Yorkshire county, was abolished in 1974 as an administrative area and most of its land became part of the new county of Humberside. In 1996, Humberside was abolished and its area was split into four districts, one of which is East Riding of Yorkshire. In the 20th century, East Riding of Yorkshire continued its transition from an agricultural based economy to an industrialized economy.[1]
East Riding of Yorkshire parishes and unparished areasEast Riding of Yorkshire parishes and unparished areas
The East Riding of Yorkshire is a geographic county and unitary authority in northeastern England. The East Riding of Yorkshire Council covers the entire geographic county, except for the city of Kingston upon Hull, which is a separate unitary authority.[1] The East Riding of Yorkshire comprises of 26 Wards, 171 Parishes, 210 Lower Super Output Areas (LSOAs) and 1,114 Output Areas (OAs)[12]
East Riding of Yorkshire geographyEast Riding of Yorkshire geography
The Humber Estuary, which opens onto the North Sea, is bordered by the counties of East Riding of Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire. On the north side of the estuary is East Riding of Yorkshire, and on the south side are North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire. The region is largely flat, with higher ground, known as the "Wolds," along the northern and southern borders. The primary urban center is Kingston-upon-Hull, a major industrial city and international port on the north bank of the Humber. Hull had a population of approximately 250,000 in 2002. Other significant towns include the ports of Immingham and Grimsby on the south side of the Humber, as well as the inland steelmaking town of Scunthorpe.[13] The East Riding of Yorkshire coastline stretches for 53 miles from Bempton to Spurn Point.[14]
Researching family history in East Riding of YorkshireResearching family history in East Riding of Yorkshire
The East Riding Archives has a guide to family history. The East Yorkshire Family History Society was formed in 1977 and has a variety of family history helps. The Hull History Centre has a helpful "Family History Tips for Beginners." The Yorkshire BMD has links to local family history sources.
Ethnicities in East Riding of YorkshireEthnicities in East Riding of Yorkshire
The demographic distribution of the East Riding of Yorkshire population is as follows:[2]
According to the latest 2021 census, the population in East Riding of Yorkshire is predominantly white (97%), with non-white minorities representing the remaining 3% of the population. The median average age in East Riding of Yorkshire in 2022 was 49.6, with people of working age (ages 16-64) representing 57.6% of the population. The sex ratio was 96.1 males to every 100 females. Compare average age by area. In 2022, the urban population of East Riding of Yorkshire was approximately 187,505 or 56%, while the rural population was around 146,674 or 44% (based on 2011 rural/urban classification, using population figures from mid-2022).
Surnames in East Riding of YorkshireSurnames in East Riding of Yorkshire
The demographic distribution of East Riding of Yorkshire surnames is as follows:[15]
| Suname | Incidence | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Smith | 8,602 | 1:69 |
| Wilson | 4,746 | 1:126 |
| Taylor | 4,107 | 1:145 |
| Brown | 3,780 | 1:158 |
| Thompson | 3,693 | 1:161 |
| Robinson | 3,536 | 1:169 |
| Johnson | 3,407 | 1:175 |
| Walker | 3,394 | 1:176 |
| Jackson | 3,074 | 1:194 |
| Harrison | 2,875 | 1:207 |
Explore more about English CountiesExplore more about English Counties
MyHeritage.com has 351 collections that contain millions of English records that cover a huge variety of genealogical historical events that can help you find your ancestors. The MyHeritage Knowledge Base contains helpful information about genealogical research. The Legacy Family Tree Webinars website contains more than 2000 valuable genealogical webinars including over 50 webinars about English research.
See alsoSee also
- Administrative structure of England
- English genealogy
- English immigration
- English emigration
- English archives
- England historical records
- Vital records in England
- Birth records in England
- Death records in England
- Marriage records in England
- Census records in England
- Civil registrations in England
- Church records in England
- Newspaper records in England
- English military records
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 East Riding of Yorkshire | Map, England, Population, & Facts | Britannica
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 East Riding of Yorkshire Demographics
- ↑ The East Riding | Yorkshire Guide
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Manufacturing & Engineering
- ↑ Agri Food & Bio Renewables
- ↑ Burnby Hall Gardens and Museum – A Jewel In Yorkshires Crown
- ↑ Take a tour of the grand Burton Agnes Hall
- ↑ The Incredible Archaeology Of East Yorkshire | Elmswell Farm
- ↑ Ancient Peoples in Yorkshire
- ↑ Anglo Saxons at Sewerby
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Local Context
- ↑ East Riding Profile V2 Migration | East Riding of Yorkshire | Report Builder for ArcGIS
- ↑ Eurostat
- ↑ East Riding – MPS – Key Statistics
- ↑ Most Common Last Names In East Riding of Yorkshire