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

Riha, 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 Riha surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Riha in America

Riha is the 21960th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Riha surname appeared 1,182 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 Riha.

We can also compare 2010 data for Riha 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 Riha

The surname RIHA is of Czech origin, originating in the region of Bohemia during the medieval period. It is derived from the old Czech word "říha," which means a furrow or a ridge in a field, suggesting that the name may have been initially associated with farmers or agricultural workers.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name RIHA can be traced back to the 14th century, where it appeared in the Liber Viridis, an ancient register of property ownership in the city of Chrudim, Bohemia. This document mentions a landowner named Petr Riha, who held a substantial estate in the area.

During the 15th century, the name RIHA gained prominence in the region of Moravia, where it was associated with several notable figures. One such individual was Jan Riha, a prominent merchant and banker who played a significant role in the economic development of the city of Brno during the late 1400s.

In the 16th century, the RIHA name appeared in the records of the University of Prague, where a scholar named Vaclav Riha was listed as a professor of philosophy and theology. This suggests that the name had spread beyond its agricultural roots and was now associated with academia and intellectual pursuits.

One of the most famous bearers of the RIHA surname was Bohuslav Riha, a renowned Czech composer and conductor who lived from 1834 to 1907. His compositions, which were heavily influenced by the Romantic period, are still celebrated and performed today, particularly his operas and orchestral works.

Another notable figure was Karel Riha, a Czech writer and literary critic who lived from 1875 to 1946. He was known for his insightful analysis of Czech literature and his contributions to the development of literary criticism in the country.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the RIHA name gained international recognition through the achievements of František Riha, a renowned Czech gymnast and coach. He competed in the 1896 and 1900 Olympic Games, winning multiple medals in various gymnastics events, and later went on to become a highly respected coach, training numerous Olympic champions.

While the RIHA surname originated in the Czech lands, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to emigration and intermarriage. However, its roots remain firmly planted in the rich cultural and historical legacy of Bohemia and Moravia, where it has been a part of the fabric of society for centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Riha

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

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

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

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