Surname Riggenbach - Meaning and Origin

Riggenbach: What does the surname Riggenbach mean?

The last name Riggenbach is of German origin. It is a topographic name for someone who lived by a mountain ridge, from the Middle High German terms "rigel," which means 'ridge' and "bach," which means 'brook' or 'stream'. So, in a broader context, the name denotes ‘someone living by the stream by the ridge’. The name is common in the region of Switzerland and Southern parts of Germany suggesting these as likely origins of families bearing this surname. As with many surnames, variations in the spelling may exist depending on regional dialects and phonetic translations.

Riggenbach: Where does the name Riggenbach come from?

The last name Riggenbach is a Swiss-German surname, and is found in countries with historical ties to Switzerland, such as Germany, France and the United States. It is found mostly in Switzerland and Germany, with a significant presence in the United States.

In the United States, the name Riggenbach has had a presence since the mid-1800s, with most of the immigrants having arrived from either Alsace or southern Germany. Here, the name is found mainly in Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, Maryland and California.

In Switzerland, the last name is most common in the cantons of Bern and Graubünden; it is also very common in Zurich, Basel and Aargau.

In Germany, Riggenbach is most common in Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria, while French speakers living in historically German-speaking areas may be found in parts of Alsace with the name Riggenbach.

Overall, the distribution of this common Swiss-German surname follows a pattern established centuries ago, and its frequency is likely to remain unchanged in the coming years.

Variations of the surname Riggenbach

Riggenbach is a German surname that has been spelled in a variety of ways. Variants of the name include Riggenbacher, Riggenbech, Rieggebach, Riggebach, Regebach, Rigbach, and Regebech.

The name Riggenbach is derived from Old High German, where the name first came into use in the 9th century. It is composed of two elements: the word riccha, meaning ‘ridge’ or ‘edge’ and bahh, meaning ‘stream’. The surname is believed to refer to either someone who lived or worked near a ridge or edge near a stream, or someone who lived near a stream which runs along a ridge.

The surname is also found in its associated spellings in Schweiz and German speaking regions, including Lichtenstein and Switzerland as Riggenbach. In the United States, the name is more commonly found spelled as Riggenbacher.

It is a relatively rare surname; however, there are many individuals with the name Riggenbach, Riggenbacher, or any of its related spellings, living and working in the United States, Germany, Switzerland, and Lichtenstein.

Famous people with the name Riggenbach

• Bill Riggenbach: American football player and coach
• Ryan Riggenbach: Musician and composer
• Rich Riggenbach: Former Major League Baseball pitcher
• Gary Riggenbach: Baseball coach and former collegiate head coach
• Steve Riggenbach: Retired US professional soccer player
• Bruce Riggenbach: German-American violinist
• Amy Riggenbach: American curator and writer
• Herb Riggenbach: American photographer and naturalist
• Chris Riggenbach: American professional ice hockey player
• Abigail Riggenbach: Experimental archaeologist and steelpan musician

Other surnames

Riggenbacher