2000
#30,161
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 733
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.27
Very Rare Last name
Riester
A German occupational surname derived from the Old High German word "riester," meaning a rafter or carpenter.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 849 Americans carry the last name Riester. That puts it at #33,184 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.25 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 403,715 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Riester 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.
Bearers in the US
849
1 in 403,715
Census rank
#33,184
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
740
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 740 bearers of the surname Riester in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.25 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 33184th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Riester, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and Hispanic (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Riester
The surname Riester is of German origin, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have originated from the German word "riester," which referred to a maker or seller of reeds or reed products. This suggests that the name's roots can be traced back to an occupational surname given to individuals involved in the reed trade.
One of the earliest known references to the name Riester can be found in the town records of Augsburg, Germany, from the year 1543. The record mentions a certain Hans Riester, who was listed as a resident of the town. This provides evidence that the name was already established in the region during that time period.
In the 17th century, the Riester surname appears in various church records and genealogical documents across various parts of Germany, particularly in the regions of Bavaria, Württemberg, and Saxony. This indicates that the name had spread and become more widespread throughout different areas of the country.
During the 18th century, the Riester family gained prominence in the city of Nuremberg, where several members held influential positions within the local government and trade guilds. One notable figure from this time was Johann Riester (1707-1782), a successful merchant and prominent citizen of Nuremberg.
Another individual of historical significance was Friedrich Riester (1819-1892), a German politician and member of the Reichstag (Imperial Parliament) during the late 19th century. He played a significant role in shaping the policies of the German Empire under the leadership of Otto von Bismarck.
In the realm of literature, the name Riester is associated with the German novelist and playwright, Gustav Riester (1843-1911). He was renowned for his satirical works that often explored the social and political issues of his time.
Other notable individuals bearing the Riester surname include Heinrich Riester (1836-1891), a German engineer and inventor known for his contributions to the development of early steam engines, and Katharina Riester (1874-1956), a pioneering female educator who founded several schools for girls in Bavaria.
While the Riester name has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and immigration patterns. However, the core of its historical origins can be traced back to its occupational beginnings in the German-speaking regions of Central Europe.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Riester
Among Census respondents with the surname Riester, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and Hispanic (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Riester 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 Riester surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.8% · 687
- Two or more races3.4% · 25
- Hispanic or Latino2.6% · 19
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 5
- Black or African American0.4% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Riester
Riester 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
#31,033
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 748
+15 bearers (+2.0%)
Per 100,000 0.25
Rank movement Down 872 places
2020
#33,184
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 740
-8 bearers (-1.1%)
Per 100,000 0.25
Rank movement Down 2,151 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #30,161 | 733 | 0.27 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #31,033 | 748 | 0.25 | +15 bearers (+2.0%) | Down 872 places |
| 2020 | #33,184 | 740 | 0.25 | -8 bearers (-1.1%) | Down 2,151 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 Riester 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 | #31,033 | #33,184 | -6.9% |
| Count | 748 | 740 | -1.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.25 | 0.25 | -1.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Riester bearers went from 748 to 740 (-1.1% change). The surname moved down 2,151 positions in the national ranking, going from #31,033 to #33,184.
FAQ
Riester surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Riester?
Name Census estimates that about 849 living Americans carry the surname Riester. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 403,715 residents.
How common is Riester?
Riester ranks #33,184 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.25 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 740 people with the surname Riester. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (849), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.25 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.25 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Riester.
Has Riester become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Riester went from 748 recorded bearers to 740. That is a decrease of 8 (-1.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #31,033 to #33,184.
What does the Census say about the background of Riester?
Among Census respondents with the surname Riester, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and Hispanic (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 Riester in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.8% (687 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Riester appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.8%), Two or More Races (3.4%), Hispanic (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 Riester (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 Riester mean?
A German occupational surname derived from the Old High German word "riester," meaning a rafter or carpenter. 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 Riester (0.25 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 Americans have the surname Riester?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.