Riefer History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

The distinguished German surname Riefer 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 Riefer family

The surname Riefer 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 Riefer family

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

Riefer Spelling Variations

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

Early Notables of the Riefer family

More information is included under the topic Early Riefer Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Riefer migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Riefer Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Karl Friedrich Riefer, who settled in North America in 1777

Riefer Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

G Riefer, aged 34, who arrived in New York, NY in 1850 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)