Contents [hide]

Ritter History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Citations

Ritter History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany

Early Origins of the Ritter family

The surname Ritter was first found in Cheshire where it "is the name of an ancient and influential family of Kingsley, where they owned considerable estates from the 13th to the 17th century (O.). The name of Rutter is now best represented amongst the farmers around Tarporley, which is only some seven or eight miles from Kingsley, so that we may repeat the remark made by Ormerod about 70 years ago "that the descendants are still living (as yeomen) and day labourers within the precincts of the feudal power of their ancestors." The name is also established in the counties of Northumberland, Durham, and Lincoln, and in the North and East Ridings of Yorkshire. " 1

As far as the etymology of the name, there is much debate. Most sources claim the name is from the German word for "ritter, a rider, i.e. a trooper." 2 3 2 4 Halliwell goes on the note that "the term was usually applied to a fine, dashing, boasting gallant; one so fashionable as to speak much in foreign languages." 3

However, one source claims the name was in fact, a Norman French name from "Roter" as the Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae lists Fulco des Rotors, Normandy 1180-1195; and Fulco de Rotor, 1198 and then notes that Richard and Thomas Rotor or Rotour, were both listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. 5

The famed English composer, conductor, editor, arranger, and record producer, John Milford Rutter CBE (b. 1945) was born in London.

Early History of the Ritter family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ritter research. Another 79 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1635, 1687, 1697, 1698, 1719, 1720, 1723, 1724, 1727, 1730 and 1775 are included under the topic Early Ritter History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ritter Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Rutter, Ruttery, Rutty and others.

Early Notables of the Ritter family

Distinguished members of the family include John Rutty (1697-1775) a Dublin Quaker physician and naturalist born in Melksham, Wiltshire; and his cousin, William Rutty M.D. (1687-1730) was an English physician, elected a Fellow of the Royal Society 30 June 1720 and later became second secretary 30 November 1727. John Rutter (fl. 1635), was an English poet who belonged to Ben Jonson's latest circle of friends...
Another 64 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Ritter Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ritter Ranking

In the United States, the name Ritter is the 1,131^st most popular surname with an estimated 27,357 people with that name. 6 However, in France, the name Ritter is ranked the 3,525^th most popular surname with an estimated 1,500 - 2,000 people with that name. 7

Ritter migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Ritter Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Christopher Ritter, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1731 8
Crates Ritter, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1731 8
Hans Ritter, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1731 8
Adam Ritter, aged 27, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1738 8
Henrick Ritter, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1740 8
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Ritter Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Johan Conrad Ritter moved to Philadelphia in 1802
Fredk Ritter, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1805 8
Daniel Ritter, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1807 8
Emilie Ritter, who landed in North America in 1832-1849 8
Ernst Ritter, who arrived in North America in 1832-1849 8
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Ritter Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Helene Ritter, aged 48, who landed in Chile in 1901 8

Ritter migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Ritter Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Mr. Sperons Ritter U.E., (Hyronimus, Riter) who settled in New Brunswick c. 1784 9

Ritter migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Ritter Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Eliza A. Ritter, aged 18, a servant, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Conflict" in 1874

Contemporary Notables of the name Ritter (post 1700) +

Willis W. III Ritter, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from California, 1996 10
William F. Ritter, American politician, Prohibition Candidate for Pennsylvania State Senate 4th District, 1910 10
William Ritter Jr. (b. 1956), American Democratic Party politician, Governor of Colorado, 2007-11; Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Colorado, 2008 10
William Ritter, American politician, Socialist Labor Candidate for Presidential Elector for Virginia, 1972 10
Walter E. Ritter, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Pennsylvania, 1924 10
Victor M. Ritter, American politician, Mayor of Herrin, Illinois, 2007 10
Victor H. Ritter, American politician, Mayor of Du Quoin, Illinois, 1949-53 10
Tom Ritter, American Republican politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Michigan 6th District, 1984 10
Thomas D. Ritter, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Connecticut, 1996 10
Stacy Joy Ritter (b. 1960), American Democratic Party politician, Member of Florida State House of Representatives 96th District, 1997-; Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Florida, 2000, 2004, 2008 10
... (Another 44 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Ritter family +

Bismarck

Hans-Joachim Ritter (1918-1941), German Leutnant zur See who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 11
Erich Ritter (1922-1941), German Matrose who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 11

The Ritter Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Melitae amor
Motto Translation: Love of Malta.

Citations +

Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Halliwell, James Orchard. A Dictionary of Archaic and Provincial WordsLondon: John Russel Smith, Old Compton Street, Soho, 1848, Digital, 2 Vols
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
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)
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 30) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Bismarck & Tirpitz Class - Crew List Bismarck. (Retrieved 2018, February 06). Retrieved from https://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/crew/bismarck_crew.html#crew_details