Riess History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

The origin of the proud surname Riess 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 Riess 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 Riess family

The surname Riess 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 Riess family

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

Riess 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 Riess family

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

Riess migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Riess Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Lorentz Riess, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1742 1
Andreas Riess, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1747 1
Conrad Riess, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1748 1
Elisabeth Riess, who landed in America in 1748 1
Melchior Riess, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1749 1
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Riess Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Johann Riess, who landed in New York, NY in 1850 1
Adam Riess, who landed in St Clair County, III in 1852 1
Jacob Riess, who landed in St Clair County, Illinois in 1866 1

Riess Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Karl Riess, aged 23, who arrived in America in 1918 1
Katharina Riess, aged 21, who landed in New York, NY in 1925 1

Contemporary Notables of the name Riess (post 1700) +

Adam Guy Riess (b. 1969), American astrophysicist and co-winner of the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics
Norma Riess (b. 1932), American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Connecticut, 2004 2
Ludwig Riess (1861-1928), German historian and educator
Fritz Riess (1922-1991), German race driver who won the 1952 24 Hours of Le Mans for Mercedes-Benz
Erwin Riess (b. 1957), Austrian playwright and dramatist

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)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 24) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html