Surname Rieger - Meaning and Origin
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Insights on Personal Identity and Heritage: The Transformative Power of iGENEA DNA Test as a 'Rieger'
The iGENEA DNA test has profoundly impacted my view of personal identity. This process has allowed me to better understand the depth and complexity of my heritage, particularly focused on my ancestral lineage – the Riegers. It has expanded my viewpoint, forging stronger connections with history and its interlinked cultures.
L. Rieger
read moreRieger: What does the surname Rieger mean?
The surname Rieger is of German origin and is predominantly found in Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic. The name is occupational, referring to someone who "rakes" grain, as "Rieger" is an altered form of the Middle High German term "riegen" which means "to rake". Therefore, the surname could have been originally given to someone whose job was to rake in the wheat or to a reeve, who was a local administrative and judicial officer in Anglo-Saxon England. As a Jewish surname, it is derived from Hebrew name "Reuven". In conclusion, the name Rieger links back to agrarian roots and is an example of surnames that were based on the type of work people did in the medieval era.
Order DNA origin analysisRieger: Where does the name Rieger come from?
The last name Rieger is primarily found in countries with a German-speaking population. Across Europe, it is most common in the German-speaking countries of Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. Austria has the most people with the last name Rieger, with the highest concentrations being in the states of Viennese, Upper Austria and Styria. In Germany, Rieger is fairly widespread across the country, however the northern German states of Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern are where it is most prevalent.
Other countries in Europe where the name is present in reasonable numbers include the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia and the Balkans. Outside of Europe, the surname can be found in countries such as Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and the United States. In the United States, the name is generally found in the Midwest, particularly in the states of Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. As of 2016, more than 2,000 people in the United States shared the surname Rieger.
Variations of the surname Rieger
The surname Rieger has Germanic and Jewish origins, with variants such as Regar, Reger, Rigear, Riger, Reeger and Rycher.
In ancient Germanic culture, the surname Rieger was likely derived from the Middle High German word "rieeger" meaning a "gamekeeper". This was likely an occupational name for someone employed to protect the king's game.
Additionally, the first known bearer of the surname Rieger is believed to be Melchior Rieger, born around 1628 in Erlangen, Germany.
The surname Rieger is also a Jewish surname usually derived from the Yiddish word "Regerer" which means "man of the city". The word likely originates from the Latin word "Regina", which literally means "queen".
Variations of the surname Rieger often appear in other languages, such as Arigar in Spanish, Riharin in Latin, and Rygier in Polish.
In the United States, variants of the surname Rieger can be found adopted by Jewish immigrants from Germany, such as Reeger, Rycher and Reger.
Other alternate spellings of the surname Rieger include Riegger, Reeger, Reichar, Riger, Reigar, Reigher, Riiger, Rigar and Regers.
These variants provide clues regarding an individual's ancestral background and may even be of use in traceability for anyone needing to trace their ancestry.
Famous people with the name Rieger
- Kurt Rieger (1879–1959), Austrian classical philologist
- David Rieger (born 1973), German footballer
- Dave Rieger (born 1971), American lead vocalist and trombonist for the band 5 Iron Frenzy
- Dieter Rieger (born 1928), German sport shooter
- Alexander Rieger (born 1979), Austrian racing driver
- Amy Rieger (born 1982), American Olympic swimmer
- Edwin Ray Rieger (1922–2009), American electrical engineer
- Eugen Rieger (1887–1952), German Luftwaffe World War II fighter pilot
- John Rieger (1928–2010), American farmer and political figure
- Lorenz Paul Rieger (1913–1985), German agricultural engineer