Find out how popular the last name Reif is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Reif.

Reif, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Reif surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Reif in America

Reif is the 9611th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Reif surname appeared 3,381 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Reif.

We can also compare 2010 data for Reif to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Reif

The surname REIF is believed to have originated in Germany, where it can be traced back to the 14th century. It is derived from the Old German word "reif," which means "ring" or "hoop." This suggests that the name was likely originally an occupational surname given to someone who made or worked with rings or hoops, possibly a blacksmith or a cooper.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name REIF can be found in the town records of Nuremberg, Germany, where a certain Hans Reif is mentioned as a resident in 1387. Another early reference is from the city of Cologne in 1412, where a Johannes Reif is listed as a member of the local guild of metalworkers.

The REIF surname is also closely associated with the town of Reifenberg, located in the Rhineland region of Germany. It is believed that the town's name, which translates to "Ring Mountain," may have influenced the development of the surname in that area.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the surname REIF. One of the earliest was Johann Wilhelm Reif (1676-1738), a German theologian and philosopher who served as a professor at the University of Marburg. Another prominent figure was Johann Michael Reif (1742-1818), a German composer and organist who worked in the court of the Elector of Bavaria.

In the 19th century, Karl Reif (1833-1902) was a well-known German architect who designed several notable buildings in Munich, including the Bavarian National Museum. Around the same time, Georg Reif (1857-1938) was a successful German businessman and industrialist who played a significant role in the development of the steel industry in the Ruhr Valley.

Moving into the 20th century, one of the most famous individuals with the surname REIF was the German-American film director and actor Ernst Reif (1920-1998), who was known for his work in Hollywood during the 1940s and 1950s.

While the REIF surname originated in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of Europe and the world, carried by families who emigrated from their homeland. However, the name's roots can be traced back to the medieval German craftsmen and workers who first bore it as a marker of their trade and occupation.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Reif

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Reif.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Reif was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Reif has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Reif was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Reif, please contact us.

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