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

Rickenberg, 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 Rickenberg surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rickenberg in America

Rickenberg is the 120187th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rickenberg surname appeared 144 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 Rickenberg.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rickenberg 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 Rickenberg

The surname RICKENBERG originated in Germany, with the earliest records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old German words "ric" meaning powerful and "berg" meaning mountain or hill, indicating that the name likely referred to someone living near a powerful or prominent hill or mountain range.

During the medieval period, the RICKENBERG name appeared in various records and manuscripts across the German states. One notable reference is found in the Codex Diplomaticus, a collection of historical documents from the region of Saxony, which mentions a landowner named Heinricus Rickenberg in the year 1287.

The name RICKENBERG has also been associated with several place names in Germany, such as Rickenberg near Essen in the Ruhr region, and Rickenberg in the Harz Mountains. These locations may have influenced the name's development or been named after early bearers of the surname.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the RICKENBERG name was Johannes Rickenberg, a merchant and landowner who lived in the city of Cologne in the late 14th century. Records indicate that he was involved in the city's thriving textile trade and held significant influence within the local guilds.

Another notable figure was Margaretha Rickenberg, a woman from the town of Halberstadt who gained recognition for her role in the Reformation movement of the 16th century. She actively supported the teachings of Martin Luther and helped spread Protestant ideals in her community.

In the 17th century, a family by the name of Rickenberg gained prominence in the city of Hamburg. Hans Rickenberg (1612-1685) was a successful merchant and shipowner, and his son, Johann Rickenberg (1650-1718), became a respected magistrate and member of the city council.

The 18th century saw the birth of Wilhelm Rickenberg (1718-1792), a renowned philosopher and academic from the University of Göttingen. His works on ethics and moral philosophy were highly influential during the Age of Enlightenment.

In more recent history, the name RICKENBERG has been carried by individuals such as Karl Rickenberg (1892-1976), a German writer and journalist who documented the events of World War I and the rise of Nazism in his works.

While these are just a few examples, the RICKENBERG surname has a rich and diverse history spanning centuries, with bearers from various walks of life contributing to the cultural, intellectual, and economic fabric of German society.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rickenberg

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

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

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

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