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

Richer, 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 Richer surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Richer in America

Richer is the 12378th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Richer surname appeared 2,513 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 Richer.

We can also compare 2010 data for Richer 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 Richer

The surname Richer is of French origin, derived from the Old French word "riche," meaning "rich" or "wealthy." It was initially used as a descriptive surname to denote someone who was affluent or possessed significant wealth.

The earliest recorded instances of the Richer surname can be traced back to the 12th century in the regions of Normandy and Brittany, France. During this time, many French surnames emerged, often reflecting occupations, physical characteristics, or places of origin.

In the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landowners and tenants compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror, several entries mention individuals with the surname Richer, suggesting its presence in medieval England following the Norman Conquest.

One notable early bearer of the Richer surname was Edmond Richer (1559-1631), a French theologian and Gallican theorist who played a significant role in the controversies surrounding the doctrine of papal infallibility. His writings and teachings had a lasting impact on the debates over the relationship between Church and State in France.

Jean Richer (1630-1696), a French astronomer and mathematician, made important contributions to the study of geodesy and the measurement of the Earth's shape. He was elected to the French Academy of Sciences in 1689.

In the 18th century, François Richer (1726-1798) was a French painter and engraver known for his portraits and historical scenes. His works are held in various museums, including the Louvre in Paris.

The Richer name also appeared in literary circles with Charles François Richer (1780-1849), a French playwright and dramatist who wrote several popular comedies and vaudevilles during his career.

During the 19th century, Louis Richer (1804-1891) was a renowned French architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in Paris, including the Gare de l'Est railway station and the Church of Saint-Augustin.

While the Richer surname is primarily French in origin, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and settlement patterns. However, its earliest recorded instances and historical significance remain rooted in the regions of France, particularly Normandy and Brittany.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Richer

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!