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

Ritz, 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 Ritz surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ritz in America

Ritz is the 5413th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ritz surname appeared 6,430 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Ritz.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ritz 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 Ritz

The surname Ritz has its origins in Germany, where it is thought to have emerged in the early Middle Ages, around the 9th or 10th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old German word "ritz" or "ritz," which means "crack" or "fissure." This suggests that the name may have been initially used as a descriptive surname, given to someone who lived near a conspicuous geological feature such as a crack or fissure in the landscape.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ritz can be found in the Codex Falkensteinensis, a medieval manuscript dating back to the 12th century, which mentions a certain "Heinricus Ritz" from the region of Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany. Another early reference to the name appears in the Hirsauer Codex, a 12th-century chronicle from the Hirsau Abbey in the Black Forest region of Baden-Württemberg, which mentions a "Conradus Ritz."

The surname Ritz is also associated with several place names in Germany, such as the town of Ritzingen in Bavaria and the village of Ritzenhausen in Hesse. These place names likely derive from the same Old German root as the surname, further indicating the name's geographical origins.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Ritz was Johann Ritz (c. 1555-1612), a German Protestant theologian and reformer from Nuremberg. Another notable figure was Johann Ritz (1666-1719), a German composer and organist from Saxony.

In the 19th century, the name gained prominence with the hotelier César Ritz (1850-1918), who was born in Niederwald, Switzerland. César Ritz is credited with establishing the modern concept of the luxury hotel, and his name became synonymous with opulence and impeccable service in the hospitality industry.

Other notable individuals with the surname Ritz include Walter Ritz (1878-1909), a Swiss theoretical physicist who made significant contributions to the field of atomic physics, and Hans Ritz (1892-1976), a German film director and screenwriter active during the Weimar Republic and the early years of Nazi Germany.

In summary, the surname Ritz has its roots in medieval Germany, where it likely originated as a descriptive name related to geological features. Over the centuries, it has been associated with various historical figures, ranging from theologians and composers to scientists and entrepreneurs, with César Ritz being one of the most renowned bearers of this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ritz

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

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

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

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