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

Risper, 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 Risper surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Risper in America

Risper is the 58481st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Risper surname appeared 347 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 Risper.

We can also compare 2010 data for Risper 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 Risper

The surname Risper is believed to have originated in England, likely emerging in the medieval period between the 11th and 15th centuries. It is thought to be a locational surname, derived from a place name or geographical feature. One possible source could be the Old English word "risc," meaning "rush" or "reed," combined with the word "pær," meaning "pear tree." This suggests the name may have referred to someone who lived near a pear tree growing among rushes or reeds.

Early records indicate variations in spelling, such as Rispar, Rispere, and Ryspere. The name appears to have been most prevalent in the counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire, where it may have originated from a specific location now lost to history.

One of the earliest documented examples of the name can be found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379, which lists a "Johannes Ryspere." Another early record is from the Lancashire Wills and Inventories of 1548, mentioning a "William Risper."

In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the name was Thomas Risper (c. 1532-1587), a yeoman farmer from Sowerby, Yorkshire. He is mentioned in local records as a landowner and prominent member of the community.

During the 17th century, a family of Rispers resided in the village of Cartmel, Lancashire. John Risper (1612-1683) was a respected landowner and churchwarden in the area.

Another prominent individual was Robert Risper (1761-1835), a successful merchant and industrialist from Leeds, Yorkshire. He was instrumental in the development of the wool and textile trade in the region.

As the surname spread across England over the centuries, it maintained a strong presence in its northern counties of origin. While not a widespread name, the Risper family has left its mark on the history and records of Yorkshire and Lancashire from medieval times to the modern era.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Risper

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

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

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

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