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Ritter Family History

Ritter Surname Meaning

German: from Middle High German rit(t)er ‘knight mounted warrior’ Middle Low German ridder applied as a status name occupational name or nickname.

Compare Knight.

English (Middlesex): perhaps a nickname from an agent derivative of Middle English ritten ‘to cut open split’ usually referring to the use of a blade.

Compare Render.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Ritter family from?

You can see how Ritter families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Ritter family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Ritter families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 70 Ritter families living in London. This was about 63% of all the recorded Ritter's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Ritter families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Ritter surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Ritter ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Ritter. 50% of Ritter men worked as a General Labourer and 72% of Ritter women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Ritter were Tailor and Dressmaker.

View Census Data for Ritter | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    50%
  • Tailor
    50%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    72%
  • Domestic Servant
    9%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Dressmaker
    4%

What Ritter family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 149,000 census records available for the last name Ritter. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Ritter census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Ritter

Passenger Lists

There are 23,000 immigration records available for the last name Ritter. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Ritter immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 79,000 military records available for the last name Ritter. For the veterans among your Ritter ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Ritter military records

You've only scratched the surface of Ritter family history

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What is the average Ritter lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Ritter life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Ritter in 1941 was 45, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Ritter

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Ritter ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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