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

Rish, 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 Rish surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rish in America

Rish is the 17798th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rish surname appeared 1,573 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 Rish.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rish 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 Rish

The surname RISH has its origins in England, tracing back to the early medieval period around the 11th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "rissc," which means "rush," referring to the reedy marsh plant. This suggests that the earliest bearers of this name may have lived near or worked in areas abundant with rushes.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the RISH name is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and taxation records commissioned by William the Conqueror. The spelling "Risch" appears in this document, likely referring to individuals residing in areas with rushes or marshlands.

In the 13th century, the name appeared as "Ryshe" in the Hundred Rolls of Buckinghamshire, a census-like record from 1273. This spelling variation further reinforces the connection to the Old English word "rissc."

Notable individuals with the RISH surname include Sir John Rish (c. 1540-1610), an English politician and judge who served as a Member of Parliament and Chief Baron of the Exchequer during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another early bearer of this name was William Rish (1609-1673), a Puritan minister and author who immigrated to New England and became the first pastor of the First Church of Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Moving forward in time, Robert Rish (1730-1805) was a prominent English clockmaker and inventor, known for his contributions to the development of the chronometer and other timekeeping devices. His work was highly acclaimed during the Georgian era.

In the 19th century, James Rish (1817-1890) was a Scottish-born American businessman and philanthropist who made his fortune in the textile industry. He is remembered for his generous donations to educational institutions and charitable causes in his adopted hometown of Nashville, Tennessee.

Another noteworthy figure was Edith Rish (1876-1959), a British writer and suffragette who actively campaigned for women's right to vote. Her works, including novels and non-fiction pieces, often explored themes of social justice and women's empowerment.

While the RISH surname may have originated from humble beginnings, referring to those living or working near marshlands, its bearers have left their mark across various fields throughout history, from politics and law to religion, industry, and literature.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rish

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

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

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

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