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

Reifsnyder, 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 Reifsnyder surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Reifsnyder in America

Reifsnyder is the 29661st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Reifsnyder surname appeared 794 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Reifsnyder.

We can also compare 2010 data for Reifsnyder 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 Reifsnyder

The surname Reifsnyder has its origins in Germany, tracing back to the 16th century or earlier. It is believed to have derived from the German word "reif," meaning hoop or ring, combined with "schneider," meaning tailor or cutter. This suggests that the name may have originally referred to a profession or trade associated with making or working with hoops or rings.

One of the earliest known references to the name Reifsnyder can be found in historical records from the region of Hesse, Germany, dating back to the late 1500s. It is possible that the name may have been adopted by individuals or families involved in the production or trade of hoops or rings used in various industries, such as cooperage or metalworking.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, many individuals with the surname Reifsnyder emigrated from Germany to North America, particularly to the Pennsylvania region, where they established communities and contributed to the cultural and economic fabric of the region. Some notable individuals with this surname include:

1. Hans Reifsnyder (c. 1620-1688), one of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname, who settled in Germantown, Pennsylvania, in the late 1600s.
2. Johannes Reifsnyder (1705-1781), a prominent farmer and landowner in Berks County, Pennsylvania, whose descendants played a significant role in the region's agricultural development.
3. Abraham Reifsnyder (1765-1842), a respected clockmaker and silversmith from Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, whose craftsmanship was highly regarded in the early 19th century.
4. William Reifsnyder (1824-1901), a Civil War veteran from Pennsylvania who served in the Union Army and later became a successful entrepreneur and businessman.
5. Mary Reifsnyder Fenton (1877-1966), an American artist and painter renowned for her landscape and still-life works, which were exhibited in various galleries throughout the early 20th century.

The Reifsnyder surname has also been found in historical records and documents from other regions of Germany, such as Bavaria and Saxony, suggesting that the name may have originated from multiple locations within the country. Over time, the spelling of the name has evolved, with variations like Reifsnider, Ryfsnyder, and Reifschneider appearing in different records and regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Reifsnyder

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

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 Reifsnyder 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 Reifsnyder 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 Reifsnyder was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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