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

Rife, 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 Rife surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rife in America

Rife is the 5268th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rife surname appeared 6,620 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 Rife.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rife 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 Rife

The surname RIFE has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "ryf" or "rif," meaning "abundant" or "plentiful." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived in a fertile or prosperous region.

One of the earliest known references to the RIFE surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which mentions a "Richard le Ryf." The Hundred Rolls were a series of administrative records compiled in England during the reign of King Edward I.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as "Rif," "Riff," and "Ryffe," reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation common during that time. The Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 recorded a "Johannes Ryffe," while the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire from 1379 listed a "Willelmus Riffe."

The RIFE surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Somerset, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire in southwestern England. Some early examples include John Rife, born in Wiltshire around 1520, and William Rife, born in Somerset in 1587.

One notable historical figure with the RIFE surname was Sir John Rife (1572-1637), a member of the English gentry and landowner in Wiltshire. He served as a Justice of the Peace and was knighted by King James I in 1618.

Another individual of note was Robert Rife (1645-1720), a prominent merchant and shipowner from Bristol, England. He played a significant role in the city's trade with the American colonies during the late 17th century.

In the 18th century, the RIFE surname appeared in various parish records across southern England, such as the baptismal record of Mary Rife in Wiltshire in 1732 and the marriage of Thomas Rife and Elizabeth Harding in Somerset in 1769.

Moving into the 19th century, the RIFE surname continued to be found in various records, including the birth of William Rife in Gloucestershire in 1824 and the marriage of John Rife and Sarah Wilkins in Somerset in 1841.

Throughout its history, the RIFE surname has been associated with several place names, such as Rife Farm in Somerset and Rife Hill in Wiltshire, further cementing its connection to the landscape and geography of southwestern England.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rife

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

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

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

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