Ritter History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms 

Origins Available: 
  England 
  Germany 


The Ritter surname is derived from the Middle High German word "rîter," which means "horseback rider" or "knight." It is thus likely that the first people to adopt this as a surname were either knights or descendants of knights.

Early Origins of the Ritter family

The surname Ritter was first found in Austria, where this family name became a prominent contributor to the development of the district from ancient times. Always prominent in social affairs, the name became an integral part of that turbulent region as it emerged to form alliances with other families within the Feudal System and the nation.

Early History of the Ritter family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ritter research. Another 232 words (17 lines of text) covering the years 1262, 1588, 1616, 1645, 1663, 1725, 1737, 1759, 1779, 1791, 1812, 1833, 1849, 1859, 1869, 1896 and 1926 are included under the topic Early Ritter History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ritter Spelling Variations

Many cultural groups lived in the German states in medieval times. Each had its own dialect and traditions, and unique variations of popular names. Low German, which is similar to contemporary Dutch, was spoken in Westphalia. German names are characterized by additions such as regional suffixes and phrases that tell something about the origin or background of its original bearer. Further contributing to the variation in German names was the fact that there were no spelling rules in medieval times: scribes recorded names according to their sound. The recorded spelling variations of Ritter include Ritter, Ritther, Rytter, Ryther, Ridder, Rider, Rhitter and many more.

Early Notables of the Ritter family

During this period prominent bearers of the name Ritter were

Ritter Ranking

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


Ritter migration to the United States +

After the First World War, Austria became a republic. The Treaty of Versailles broke up the empire in 1919 and many of the Sudeten Germans were incorporated into the new nation of Czechoslovakia. In the 20th century, many Austrians migrated to other parts of Germany or Europe, as well as to North America. In the United States, the majority of settlers landed in Philadelphia, and moved on to Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, New York, and Maryland. Many German settlers also migrated to Canada, particularly Ontario and the Prairies. Amongst the settlers in North America with this distinguished name Ritter were

Ritter Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Ritter Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
Ritter Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Ritter migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Ritter Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

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

Contemporary Notables of the name Ritter (post 1700) +
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