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

Reiser, 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 Reiser surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Reiser in America

Reiser is the 7325th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Reiser surname appeared 4,554 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Reiser.

We can also compare 2010 data for Reiser 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 Reiser

The surname REISER is of German origin, derived from the Old German word "reiser" which means "traveler" or "wanderer." It is believed to have originated in the 13th century in the regions of Bavaria and Swabia in southern Germany.

The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the 14th century in various Germanic regions. It is found in the Heidelberg Codex, a manuscript from 1395, which mentions a "Conrad Reiser" from the town of Ulm.

In the 15th century, the name appears in several historical records, including the "Biberacher Stadtbuch" (Biberach Town Book) from 1457, which lists a "Hans Reiser" as a citizen of the town. Another notable mention is in the "Augsburger Steuerbuch" (Augsburg Tax Book) from 1475, where a "Ulrich Reiser" is recorded as a taxpayer.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name REISER spread across various parts of Europe, particularly in areas with German-speaking populations. One of the earliest known individuals with this surname was Johannes Reiser (1495-1576), a Lutheran theologian and reformer from Saxony.

In the 18th century, the name REISER can be found in several historical records, including the "Oberamtsbuch" (Regional Court Book) of the town of Esslingen, which mentions a "Georg Reiser" in 1712. Additionally, the "Kirchenbuch" (Church Book) of the town of Lauingen lists a "Johann Reiser" born in 1742.

Some notable individuals with the surname REISER throughout history include:

1. Gottlieb Reiser (1801-1880), a German-American author and journalist.
2. Anton Reiser (1859-1944), an Austrian painter and illustrator.
3. Rudolf Reiser (1880-1957), a German writer and poet.
4. Nora Reiser (1897-1988), a German actress and theater director.
5. Paul Reiser (born 1956), an American comedian, actor, and writer.

While the name REISER has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to various parts of the world, particularly in areas with significant German immigration, such as the United States, Canada, and Australia.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Reiser

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

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

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

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