Reiser History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

The origin of the proud surname Reiser can be traced to the historic kingdom of Bohemia, which is now part of the Czech Republic. In the Middle Ages, many of the Bohemians were a part of the Holy Roman Empire, which was characterized by the Feudal System. Before this era, people were known only by a single name. However, as the population increased and travel became more prevalent, it became necessary for people to adopt a second name to identify themselves. Many people, such as the Reiser family, adopted the name of their feudal occupation as their surname. The name goes back to the mediaeval German "ris" or "risle," which meant literally "branch" or "twig,"and the surname was an occupational name for a wood carver.

Early Origins of the Reiser family

The surname Reiser was first found in Bohemia, where the name came from humble beginnings but gained a significant reputation for its contribution to the emerging mediaeval society. They later became more prominent as many branches of the same house acquired distant estates and branches, some in foreign countries, always elevating their social status by their great contributions to society. Chronicles first mention Clesse Reysse of Mainz in 1444, and Leonhart Reiser of Nuremberg in 1443. The name goes back to the mediaeval German "ris" or "risle," which meant literally "branch" or "twig." Reisser could also refer to a wood carver.

Early History of the Reiser family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Reiser research. Another 140 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1505, 1606, 1645, 1870, 1897 and 1940 are included under the topic Early Reiser History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Reiser Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Reis, Reisle (Bavaria, Swabia), Reiss, Reisse, Riess, Ries, Reise, Reisz, Reiser, Reisser, Riser, Reysse, Reys, Reyss, Rice, Ris, Risse, Rise, Risle and many more.

Early Notables of the Reiser family

Another 44 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Reiser Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Reiser Ranking

In the United States, the name Reiser is the 9,643^rd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Reiser migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Reiser Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Valtin Reiser, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1729 2
Mrs. Anna Maria Reiser, (1700-1737), who arrived in Georgia in 1736 aboard the ship "London Merchant" 2
Mr. Gottlieb Reiser, (b. 1735), who arrived in Georgia in 1736 aboard the ship "London Merchant" 2
William Reiser, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1738 2
Simon Reiser, (Rieser), (b. 1685), who arrived in Georgia in 1741 aboard the ship "Loyal Judith" 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Reiser Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

August Reiser, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1877 2
Henry Reiser, who arrived in Arkansas in 1892 2
Frederick Reiser, who arrived in Arkansas in 1898 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Reiser (post 1700) +

John Reiser (1938-2005), American NASCAR race car driver
Paul Reiser (b. 1957), American stand-up comedian, actor, author, screenwriter and musician
Tom Reiser, American Republican politician, Republican Candidate for U.S. Representative from Texas 25th District, 2000 (primary), 2002 3
Everett G. Reiser, American politician, Mayor of Cadillac, Michigan, 1958-59 3
Elizabeth G. Reiser, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from New Jersey, 1964 3
Chad Reiser, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Idaho, 2008 3
Carleton Carl Reiser, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Ohio 4th District, 1950 3
C. H. Othmar Reiser (1861-1936), Austrian ornithologist
Jean-Marc Reiser (1941-1983), French comics creator

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 8) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html