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

Rith, 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 Rith surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rith in America

Rith is the 93513th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rith surname appeared 196 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 Rith.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rith 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 Rith

The surname RITH is believed to have originated in Germany, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the 13th century. The name is thought to derive from the Old German word "rith," which means "flowing water" or "stream." This suggests that the name may have initially been associated with individuals who lived near bodies of water such as rivers or streams.

One of the earliest known references to the name RITH can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of historical documents from Saxony, Germany. This record, dated around 1280, mentions a person named "Heinricus Rith" who was a landowner in the region.

In the 14th century, the name RITH appeared in various medieval manuscripts, including the Stadtbücher (city books) of several German cities. For instance, a man named "Johannes Rith" was documented as a resident of Nuremberg in 1348.

During the 15th century, the RITH surname gained prominence in the region of Franconia, which was then part of the Holy Roman Empire. Notable individuals with this name included Konrad Rith, a wealthy merchant from Rothenburg ob der Tauber, who lived from 1425 to 1487.

As the name spread across Europe, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Ritt, Ritth, and Rieth. One notable bearer of the name was Johann Philipp Rith, a German composer and organist who lived from 1677 to 1744. His works were widely performed in churches throughout central Europe during his lifetime.

In the 18th century, the RITH surname appeared in historical records from other parts of the continent, including France and the Netherlands. For example, a Dutch military officer named Pieter Rith served in the Napoleonic Wars and was awarded the Légion d'honneur for his service in 1813.

Another significant figure bearing the RITH surname was Friedrich Rith, a German architect who lived from 1808 to 1891. He was responsible for the design of several notable buildings in Munich, including the Augustiner Church and the Bürgersaalkirche.

As the centuries progressed, the RITH name continued to be found across various regions of Europe, with bearers of the surname making contributions in various fields, such as academia, the arts, and politics.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rith

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

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

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

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