Surname Reinlein - Meaning and Origin

Reinlein: What does the surname Reinlein mean?

The last name Reinlein is derived from the German word for ‘horse man’ or ‘horse rider’. This indicates that the bearers of the name were likely involved in some type of horse-related profession. The name has many different spellings, including Reinle, Reinl, Rein and Reinell.

The surname Reinlein is of patronymic origin and would have begun to emerge in the 13th Century, most likely when a person would have lived near a manor, where they could own and ride horses. Alternatively, they may have been associated with a knight or nobleman, who would have owned horses. It is thought that the Reinlein family may have been descended from horsemen who were employed by the German nobles of that time, who would have had large amounts of possessions and horses to move goods and supplies.

In addition, the name 'Reinlein' is associated with the popular German folk dancing tradition known as 'Reinländer Tanz'. This type of dance involved a range of horses performing circles around a single village square. As a result, the Reinlein’s may have had some connection to horse-related entertainments centuries ago during more rural periods of German culture.

Today, the Reinlein name is sometimes used as a first name, and it remains quite popular in Germany, as well as in other parts of Europe. It also remains quite rare in the English-speaking world.

Reinlein: Where does the name Reinlein come from?

The last name Reinlein is traditionally considered to be German in origin, however due to migration it is now found in various places around the world. It is most commonly found in the United States, where around 1500 individuals of the name are found, primarily in the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois. The next most common locations for Reinleins are Germany, with approximately 200 people, and the Czech Republic, with around ninety people bearing the name.

In Germany, Reinlein can be found in virtually any state, although the majority of people with the name live in the states of Bavaria and Baden-Wurttemberg. The name is also found in smaller numbers in Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein in Central Europe, as well as the Netherlands, Belgium, and France in Western Europe. Some Reinleins have also migrated to countries further afield such as Taiwan, Canada, and Argentina.

Families of the name Reinlein can trace their roots back as far as the 1500s in Germany, with records showing that as early as 1561, their name was first found in various regions of the German states.

In summary, the last name Reinlein is most commonly found in the United States, Germany, and the Czech Republic, but can also be found in other places around the world. It is an old name, with history tracing back to the early 1500s in Germany.

Variations of the surname Reinlein

The common variants and spellings for the Reinlein surname include Reinelein, Reinele, Raynlein, Reinley, and Reinly. These variations are based on the phonetic pronunciation of the name, as well as subtle linguistic shifts throughout the language's history.

In German, the surname Reinlein can be found in various parts of the country. In the north of Germany, the variant spellings Reinelein and Reinele are more commonly found, whereas in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg the Reinley and Reinly variations are used instead.

In the United States, the Reinlein surname is commonly found in Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Ohio, and California. The Pennsylvania and Kentucky variants of the name are most likely to use the spelling Reinley, whereas the Ohio and California Reinleins more frequently have the spelling Reinly.

Other surnames of the same origin as Reinlein include Reinhard, Reinche, Raynehardt, Raypole, Rinehoft, Reinchen, Raichlen, Reinecke, Raineardt, and Reynoldson. These all share the root Rein- in their Germanic origins, which in turn is derived from the Old Germanic ragin meaning "advice" or "counsel".

Famous people with the name Reinlein

• Hermann Reinecke: Politician and law professor from the 19th century
• Fritz Reinecke: German film director, actor and theatre director
• Heinz Reinecke: German football player
• Arthur Reinecke: German Protestant theologian
• Ernst Reinecke: German zoologist
• Paul Reinecke: German vocalist and musicologist
• Wilhelm Reinecke: German music composer
• Otto Reinecke: Painter, illustrator and graphic designer
• Gottfried Reinecke: German astronomer
• Christian Reinecke: German physicist
• Alex Reinecke: German musician
• Andreas Reinecke: German actor
• Alfred Reinecke: German botanist
• Willy Reinecke: German enamel painter
• Kurt Reinecke: German psychiatrist
• Gerd Reinecke: German banker and politician
• Elke Reinecke: German television writer and producer
• Wolf Reinecke: German philologist
• Georg Reinecke: German composer
• Ludwig Reinecke: German physicist

Other surnames

Reinle