2000
#3,151
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,487
First available Census row
Per 100,000 3.89
Uncommon Last name
Reiter
An occupational surname of German origin referring to a horseman or cavalryman, derived from the German word "Reiter."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 11,700 Americans carry the last name Reiter. That puts it at #3,419 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.41 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 29,295 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Reiter surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Reiter with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
12K
1 in 29,295
Census rank
#3,419
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
10K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 10,203 bearers of the surname Reiter in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.41 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3419th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Reiter, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.4%) and Two or More Races (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Reiter
The surname Reiter originates from Germany and likely dates back to the 12th century. It is derived from the German word "reiter," meaning "rider" or "horseman." This occupation-based surname was likely given to someone whose profession involved riding horses, such as a messenger, courier, or soldier.
One of the earliest references to this surname can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburgensis, a collection of historical records from the Margraviate of Brandenburg, which mentions a "Conrad Reitere" in 1226. Additionally, the surname is recorded in the Bürgeraufnahmen der Stadt Hannover, a registry of citizens in the city of Hanover, which lists a "Henning Reyter" in 1389.
In the 15th century, the surname appeared in various forms, including "Reyther," "Reyder," and "Reidter." One notable individual from this period was Johann Reiter (1430-1495), a German composer and music theorist who served as a choirmaster at the court of the Elector Palatine.
During the 16th century, the Reiter surname gained prominence with individuals like Johann Reiter (1508-1572), a German theologian and reformer who played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation. Another notable figure was Hans Reiter (1520-1585), a German painter known for his religious and historical works.
In the 17th century, the Reiter surname was associated with several military figures, including Georg Reiter (1610-1680), a German mercenary who fought in the Thirty Years' War. Another notable individual was Johann Reiter (1638-1716), a German jurist and diplomat who served as the Imperial Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire.
The 18th century saw the rise of the Reiter family in the arts and sciences. Johann Nepomuk Reiter (1734-1804) was a German composer and organist, while Johann Reiter (1755-1828) was a German astronomer and mathematician who made significant contributions to the study of celestial mechanics.
Moving into the 19th century, the Reiter surname continued to appear in various fields. Friedrich Reiter (1805-1883) was a German politician and lawyer who served as a member of the Frankfurt Parliament. Additionally, Karl Reiter (1822-1897) was a German composer and conductor known for his works in sacred and secular music.
Overall, the surname Reiter has a rich history spanning several centuries and encompassing individuals from various professions, including composers, theologians, artists, military figures, and scientists.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Reiter
Among Census respondents with the surname Reiter, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.4%) and Two or More Races (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Reiter bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Reiter surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.1% · 9,397
- Hispanic or Latino3.4% · 345
- Two or more races2.6% · 266
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 89
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 73
- Black or African American0.3% · 33
Timeline
Historical Census data for Reiter
Reiter appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#3,319
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,802
+315 bearers (+3.0%)
Per 100,000 3.66
Rank movement Down 168 places
2020
#3,419
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,203
-599 bearers (-5.5%)
Per 100,000 3.41
Rank movement Down 100 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #3,151 | 10,487 | 3.89 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #3,319 | 10,802 | 3.66 | +315 bearers (+3.0%) | Down 168 places |
| 2020 | #3,419 | 10,203 | 3.41 | -599 bearers (-5.5%) | Down 100 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Reiter surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,319 | #3,419 | -3.0% |
| Count | 10,802 | 10,203 | -5.5% |
| Per 100K | 3.66 | 3.41 | -6.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Reiter bearers went from 10,802 to 10,203 (-5.5% change). The surname moved down 100 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,319 to #3,419.
FAQ
Reiter surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Reiter?
Name Census estimates that about 11,700 living Americans carry the surname Reiter. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 29,295 residents.
How common is Reiter?
Reiter ranks #3,419 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.41 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 10,203 people with the surname Reiter. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (11,700), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.41 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.41 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname Reiter.
Has Reiter become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Reiter went from 10,802 recorded bearers to 10,203. That is a decrease of 599 (-5.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #3,319 to #3,419.
What does the Census say about the background of Reiter?
Among Census respondents with the surname Reiter, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.4%) and Two or More Races (2.6%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Reiter in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.1% (9,397 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Reiter appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.1%), Hispanic (3.4%), Two or More Races (2.6%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Reiter (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Reiter mean?
An occupational surname of German origin referring to a horseman or cavalryman, derived from the German word "Reiter." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Reiter (3.41 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Reiter?
For a quick modern take, check how common the surname Reiter is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.