Rief History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

The distinguished German surname Rief is derived from the Germanic personal name "Rief," which is itself a diminutive of the name "Rudolf." The surname means "son of Rief," and became a hereditary family name during the Middle Ages.

Early Origins of the Rief family

The surname Rief was first found in Berne, Switzerland, where the name came from humble beginnings but gained a significant reputation for its contribution to the emerging mediaeval society. It 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.

Early History of the Rief family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rief research. Another 67 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Rief History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rief Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Rieffer, Reiffer, Reiffern, Rieffern, Riefern, Riefer and many more.

Early Notables of the Rief family

Notables of the time with the surname Rief were

the Rieffer family of Berne, Switzerland

Rief migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Rief Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Hans Pieter Rief, who arrived in New York in 1709 1
David Rief, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1753 1

Rief Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Jos Rief, who arrived in America in 1843 1
John Rief, aged 48, who landed in Missouri in 1849 1

Citations +

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)