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Riffel Family History

Riffel Surname Meaning

German:: from a short form of an ancient Germanic personal name formed with hrōd ‘renown victory’ for example Rudolf.

Metonymic occupational name for a flax or hemp worker from late Middle High German riffel ‘comb (for preparing flax)’.

A noun derivative of Middle High German riffeln ‘to comb’.

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


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Where is the Riffel family from?

You can see how Riffel families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Riffel family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Riffel families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 4 Riffel families living in Somerset. This was about 80% of all the recorded Riffel's in United Kingdom. Somerset had the highest population of Riffel families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Riffel 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 Riffel ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Riffel. 31% of Riffel men worked as a Farmer and 35% of Riffel women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Riffel were Truck Driver and Housework.

View Census Data for Riffel | 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.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    31%
  • Laborer
    14%
  • Salesman
    8%
  • Truck Driver
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    35%
  • Saleslady
    18%
  • Teacher
    12%
  • Housework
    9%

What Riffel family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 6,000 census records available for the last name Riffel. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Riffel census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Riffel

Passenger Lists

There are 836 immigration records available for the last name Riffel. 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 Riffel immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Riffel. For the veterans among your Riffel ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Riffel military records

You've only scratched the surface of Riffel family history

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What is the average Riffel lifespan?

Between 1954 and 2004, in the United States, Riffel life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1954, and highest in 1964. The average life expectancy for Riffel in 1954 was 38, and 83 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Riffel

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Riffel 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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