Surname Ritgers - Meaning and Origin
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Ritgers: What does the surname Ritgers mean?
The last name Ritgers is a Dutch surname, originating from the Netherlands. The name itself is derived from a combination of two elements - the personal name Rits, a shortened form of the given name Rudolph, and gher, an old Dutch spelling of the word 'Ger', which means Spear. The combined elements, Rits + gher, therefore means ‘Rits Spear’ or ‘Rudolph Spear'.
In its earliest recorded forms, the surname Ritgers was most commonly found in the provinces of Overijssel and Drenthe in the Netherlands, where it is still the most commonly found today.
Historically, the name Ritgers was given to a spear-maker, or to someone who was a skilled soldier in combat. It is possible that some of the early bearers of the name also held a prestigious social title related to the skill of using a spear.
The modern equivalent of the name Ritgers is often referred to as Ritzger, an alternate spelling of the name found in other countries. It is likely that this spelling was adopted when members of the Ritgers family immigrated to other countries, which has enabled the name to spread far and wide across the globe.
Overall, the last name Ritgers means 'Rudolph Spear', and is backed by centuries of history and a strong sense of family pride.
Order DNA origin analysisRitgers: Where does the name Ritgers come from?
The last name Ritgers is most common in North America, especially in the United States and Canada. In the United States, the highest concentration of Ritgers is in Wisconsin. There are also smaller numbers in other states across the US, such as Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, and South Dakota. It’s also fairly common in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec.
In addition to North America, Ritgers is found in the Netherlands. It's a Dutch surname likely derived from the Old Dutch elements "rit," meaning advice, and "gers" meaning spear. The given name often refers to someone who gives advice like a spear that sort of points the way.
On a global level, however, Ritgers is a relatively rare surname. According to the 1990 US Census, the surname Ritgers ranked 5,039 out of the 88,799 surnames covered in the database. It's not super common today, but there are enough people with the last name Ritgers to make it a recognizable name in many parts of the world.
Variations of the surname Ritgers
The surname Ritgers is of Dutch origin and is believed to have originated in the Netherlands. It is an occupational name derived from the name of the trade an ancestor practiced. Variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin of the name Ritgers include Ritger, Riegeer, Rietger, Rietgeer, Rügeer, Rüger, Ruger, Rutger, and Rutgeer.
In its earliest days, the name Ritgers would have been spelled in Latin as Retger or Retgeer. From this, it is believed that the name would have come from a Germanic origin, meaning a person who markets or retails goods. This is hinted at in alternative spellings of the name such as Retger, Riegert, and Ritgerz.
The alternate spelling Rietgeer is also likely derived from the same origin, although it was most likely a nickname used to denote someone with light-colored hair. The surname most likely began being used as a surname in the 15th century in the Netherlands, as the use of surnames was quite common during this time. The earliest recorded spelling of the family name is from 1641, when Johannes Ritteger married Wighna Oetgen in Amsterdam, Netherland.
Variants of the name include Ruger and Rutgeer, which might refer to someone from a place called Rutgen or Ruigem. This place name is derived from the Dutch words ruig, meaning rough, and gem, meaning village or land. In addition to this, Rutger is derived from the Germanic personal name Rutger, a compound name from the elements rod (fame, glory) and ger (spear).
The origin of the surname Ritgers is largely speculative; however, given the wide range of possible variations, it seems likely the surname was derived from either Dutch or Germanic roots.
Famous people with the name Ritgers
- Chris Ritger: American Auto Racing Driver.
- Nate Ritger: Contestant on Netflix's rhythm Reality TV show “Rhythm & Flow.”
- Josh Ritger: Actor, Writer and Director best known for his Netflix role on “The Punisher.”
- Troy Ritger: professional boxer.
- Joseph J. Ritger: former chair of the Wisconsin Republican Party.
- William Ritger: American screenwriter, producer and director.
- Christy Ritger: American singer and artist.
- Dennis Ritger: American college basketball coach.
- Marc Ritger: former Major League Baseball pitcher.
- Ken Ritger: American Christian author.