Ethridge
A surname most likely meaning “one who lived at or near a ridge,” with some forms showing the old prefix At- or atte- fused into the name.
The #4,502 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 39,191 Americans shares it.
Etymology
This surname is generally explained as a reduced form of an older place-description such as "at the ridge" or "atte ridge." The second element is the Old English word for a ridge, while the first is the old preposition "at," which could later become attached to the noun and then wear down in pronunciation. Historical spellings such as Etheredge, Etheridge, Ethridge, and similar forms fit this pattern.
History
Bardsley treated Etheredge and Ethridge as local surnames, essentially meaning someone identified by residence near a ridge, though he was not able to pin down the exact place. Baring-Gould also listed Ethridge among surnames that preserve or compress the old "At/Atten" prefix, supporting the same general explanation. In English and American usage, the name survives in several spellings, with Ethridge, Etheridge, and Etheredge all encountered.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The name is a good example of how a common medieval phrase like "at the ridge" could eventually harden into a hereditary surname.
From the historical record
“Etheredi^, Etheridge, Eth- ridge» Etridge.— Local, 'ofEthe- ridge * or < Ethridge.' I cannot find the spot 1773. Married— Cieorge Etheredge and Ann Lowder : St. Geo. lian. Sq. i. 330.”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames (alternate scan)