Surname Reitze - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'R'
Reitze: What does the surname Reitze mean?
The last name Reitze is of German origin and can be traced back to ancestors of the same name who lived in Germany during the Middle Ages. The name is a combination of the animus, meaning "rider" and "witz," meaning "clever." Together, the name probably denotes a clever horseman or horsewoman. During the Middle Ages, the family and its many branches spread throughout central Europe, and eventually to the United States.
The Reitzes have gone on to become military officers, politicians, physicians, writers, entrepreneurs, musicians, and more. Many Reitzes have contributed much to their respective countries and communities, including Paolo Reitze, the Italian senator and president for the Raiffeisen Bank. Frederic Reitze, an American composer and professor at Indiana University, is also a prominent figure within the family.
Though the name is relatively uncommon, it still holds strong ties to the Reitze family and the rich legacies of its many members. This family succeeded in carving out an impressive legacy over several centuries that is a source of immense pride for all those bearing the Reitze name.
Order DNA origin analysisReitze: Where does the name Reitze come from?
The last name Reitze is predominantly found in Germany. It is a German-language surname, and the name is a patronymic surname that has been associated with Germany for centuries. According to the US Census Bureau, Reitze is the 2,977th most common last name in the United States, and it is estimated that there are approximately 12,800 people from the United States who carry the last name Reitze.
Reitze is the 20,062nd most common family name in Germany and is predominantly concentrated in the states of Bavaria and Hesse, as well as in the federal state of Hamburg. Reitze is also found in other parts of the world, including the Czech Republic, Canada, Austria, and Australia.
The name Reitze can be found in many different forms, such as Reitz, Reits, Reitse, Reitzen and Ritze. These variants of the name can also be found in other countries, such as the Netherlands, Belgium and Switzerland. With a surname such as this, combined with its widespread population across the globe, one may find a Reitze or a variant of the name from almost any corner of the world.
Variations of the surname Reitze
The surname Reitze has a number of variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. Some of the variants include Reitz, Reiß, Reitzig, Reitzes, Rietz, Rietzig, Ritze, and Ritzig. Other variations of the surname include Rietsch, Retsch, Retz (in Switzerland), Reitzl, Rietzler, Retzlaff, Retzmann, Rentz, Rentzlaff, Rentzler, Reitzeck, Reitzegger, and Rytz.
The surname Reitze is derived from the Old German word “reit,” which originally meant “to ride.” This is why some variants of the surname include the words “Rietz,” “Ritzig,” and “Rytz,” which have a similar meaning. The surname likely refers to an ancestor who was an accomplished horseman or was involved in some way with horses.
In some cases, the surname Reitze was likely derived from the Middle High German “rītze,” which literally meant “at the rider” and was used to describe a place where a horse was stabled. The surname in this form could have referred to someone who owned or kept horses.
Although the meaning of the surname Reitze is likely the same, it is possible that it has been adopted by different families at different times and in different locations, thus giving rise to the different variants. The variants may also have been influenced by the local dialect.
Famous people with the name Reitze
- Richard Reitzenstein: German scholar of Hellenistic and Christian Religions, Historian and Philologist
- Erich Reitzenstein: German Orientalist, Scholar of Islam and Islamism
- Christian Reitzenstein: German Classicist, Ancient Historian, Archaeologist and Paleographer
- Paul Reitzenstein: German Classical Philologist, Historian of Religion and Arabist
- Rudolf Reitzenstein: German Archeologist and Historian
- Sönke Reitzenstein: German Politician, Mathematician and Physicist
- Dorothea Reitzenstein: German Mathematician
- Wilhelm Reitzenstein: German Classical Philologist and Sanskritist
- Karl Reitzenstein: German Chemist
- Carl Reitzenstein: German Philosopher and Jurist
- John Baptist Reitzenstein: German Priest and Misalist