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

Riser, 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 Riser surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Riser in America

Riser is the 12566th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Riser surname appeared 2,463 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 Riser.

We can also compare 2010 data for Riser 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 Riser

The surname RISER is believed to have originated in Germany, with roots dating back to the 12th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old German word "riser," which means "tall" or "large," likely referring to a person's stature or physical appearance.

In the early medieval period, the name RISER was predominant in the regions of Bavaria and Saxony, where it appeared in various local records and documents. One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of historical documents from the region, which mentions a certain "Riser von Augsburg" in the year 1187.

The RISER surname is also closely associated with several notable figures throughout history. In the 15th century, a German scholar named Johannes Riser (1430-1505) gained recognition for his contributions to the study of classical literature and philosophy. Another notable individual was Hans Riser (1558-1623), a renowned clockmaker and inventor from Nuremberg, who is credited with developing one of the earliest pendulum clocks.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the RISER name appeared in various town records and church registers across Germany, with variations in spelling such as "Ryser," "Reyser," and "Reiser." This was likely due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions at the time.

In the 18th century, a prominent military figure named Friedrich von Riser (1720-1794) served as a general in the Prussian army during the Seven Years' War. He played a significant role in several key battles and was later recognized for his strategic leadership.

Another noteworthy individual was the philosopher and writer Johann Riser (1776-1842), whose works explored themes of ethics, morality, and the human condition. His seminal work, "Über die Pflichten des Menschen" (On the Duties of Man), published in 1809, earned him widespread acclaim.

As the RISER surname spread across Europe and beyond, it found its way into various other cultures and regions, often taking on localized variations in spelling and pronunciation. However, its origins can be traced back to the Germanic lands of medieval Europe, where it emerged as a descriptor of physical attributes and later evolved into a distinguished surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Riser

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

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

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

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