2010
#152,628
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Rysewyk
A toponymic surname derived from a place name in the Netherlands.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 136 Americans carry the last name Rysewyk. That puts it at #142,788 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,520,252 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Rysewyk surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
136
1 in 2,520,252
Census rank
#142,788
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
119
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 119 bearers of the surname Rysewyk in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142788th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Rysewyk, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.6%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (2.5%) and Two or More Races (2.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Rysewyk
The surname RYSEWYK is of Dutch origin, deriving from the region of the Netherlands known as Rijnland or Rhineland. The name itself is thought to have originated in the 14th or 15th century, with its roots tracing back to a specific town or village within this area.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the RYSEWYK name can be found in a Dutch census record from the year 1487, which lists a family bearing this surname residing in the town of Leiden. This town, located in the western Netherlands, was a prominent center of trade and commerce during the Middle Ages, and it is possible that the RYSEWYK family held a notable position within the local community.
The RYSEWYK name is believed to have evolved from an older Dutch place name, possibly referring to a location near the banks of the Rhine River. Similar variations in spelling, such as "Rysewyck" and "Ryswijck," can be found in historical documents from the 16th and 17th centuries.
During the Golden Age of Dutch exploration and colonization, several individuals bearing the RYSEWYK surname made their mark on history. One such individual was Pieter RYSEWYK, a Dutch navigator and explorer who participated in several expeditions to the East Indies in the early 17th century. Born in Amsterdam in 1583, Pieter RYSEWYK is credited with charting several important trade routes and establishing Dutch settlements in present-day Indonesia.
Another notable figure from this era was Johan RYSEWYK, a Dutch soldier and military commander who served under Prince Maurice of Nassau during the Eighty Years' War against Spain. Born in Haarlem in 1572, Johan RYSEWYK is remembered for his bravery and strategic leadership in several key battles, including the Siege of Ostend in 1604.
In the realm of art and culture, the RYSEWYK name also left its mark. Adriaen RYSEWYK, a celebrated Dutch painter born in Delft in 1616, is best known for his skilled portraiture and genre scenes depicting everyday life in the Netherlands. His works can be found in various museums and private collections throughout Europe.
Moving into the 18th century, the RYSEWYK name continued to hold significance within Dutch society. One notable figure from this time was Willem RYSEWYK, a prominent businessman and merchant who played a crucial role in the establishment of the Dutch East India Company's trading outposts in the Cape of Good Hope region of South Africa.
As the centuries progressed, the RYSEWYK surname spread beyond the borders of the Netherlands, with descendants of these early families establishing roots in various parts of the world. While the name may have undergone slight variations in spelling and pronunciation over time, its Dutch origins and historical significance remain firmly rooted in the annals of history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Rysewyk
Among Census respondents with the surname Rysewyk, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.6%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (2.5%) and Two or More Races (2.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Rysewyk bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Rysewyk surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.6% · 109
- American Indian and Alaska Native2.5% · 3
- Two or more races2.5% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.7% · 2
- Black or African American0.8% · 1
- Hispanic or Latino0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Rysewyk
Rysewyk appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#142,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
+12 bearers (+11.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 9,840 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #152,628 | 107 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #142,788 | 119 | 0.04 | +12 bearers (+11.2%) | Up 9,840 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Rysewyk surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #152,628 | #142,788 | 6.4% |
| Count | 107 | 119 | 11.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -0.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Rysewyk bearers went from 107 to 119 (+11.2% change). The surname moved up 9,840 positions in the national ranking, going from #152,628 to #142,788.
FAQ
Rysewyk surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Rysewyk?
Name Census estimates that about 136 living Americans carry the surname Rysewyk. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,520,252 residents.
How common is Rysewyk?
Rysewyk ranks #142,788 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 119 people with the surname Rysewyk. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (136), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Rysewyk.
Has Rysewyk become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Rysewyk went from 107 recorded bearers to 119. That is an increase of 12 (+11.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #152,628 to #142,788.
What does the Census say about the background of Rysewyk?
Among Census respondents with the surname Rysewyk, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.6%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (2.5%) and Two or More Races (2.5%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Rysewyk in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.6% (109 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Rysewyk appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.6%), American Indian/Alaska Native (2.5%), Two or More Races (2.5%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Rysewyk (2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Rysewyk mean?
A toponymic surname derived from a place name in the Netherlands. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Rysewyk (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Rysewyk?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.