Surname Raich - Meaning and Origin
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Raich: What does the surname Raich mean?
The surname Raich is of Ashkenazic Jewish origin, and is derived from the Middle High German word ‘raih’, meaning a ‘clearing’ or ‘meadow’. The name was likely taken on by individuals who had their main residence in a clearing or meadow area.
The Raich surname is found throughout Europe, with the greatest concentration located in Germany, Israel, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. In the United States, the surname can be found among family lines that immigrated from Eastern Europe during the late 19th century and beyond.
The spelling of the surname sometimes varies, and can often be found spelling variations such as Reicher, Raych, Reich, Reichert, Reichene, Reichmann, Reichwein, Reichart, and Reiherr.
As a whole, the Raich surname is believed to suggest a gentile origin, indicating that its bearers were of religious backgrounds other than Jewish. The surname can be found in many records of individuals who held prominent positions in industry, politics, and law.
Overall, the surname Raich is a timeless one, used by families that have traveled and settled in many different locations throughout the world. It may have once been a marking of geographic relationships, but today is a sign of a continuous and proud family history.
Order DNA origin analysisRaich: Where does the name Raich come from?
The last name Raich is most commonly found in the countries of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It is a German-language surname, derived from the word ‘Reiche’ which means ‘rich’.
In Germany, the Raich surname is indigenous to the southern region, specifically Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. In the 19th century, there was a high migration of families dubbed “the great German migration” due to the industrialisation of the region, so the surname can be found elsewhere in the country, as well as other nations where Germanic migration occurred.
In Austria, Raich is also a common surname, especially amongst the ethnic Germans living in the Tyrol region in the West of the country. It is also present in Carinthia, which is Austria’s furthest south region.
Raich is also widely spread throughout Switzerland, particularly the French speaking areas near the border with France where the variants Raych and Ray are used for spelling. As well as this, the surname can be found up in the mountainous regions of Switzerland, such as Davos, which is known for its ski resort and world economic forum.
Raich is a popular surname all over the Germanic speaking world, so even though the primary countries of focus are Germany, Austria and Switzerland, the surname can also be scattered in other countries where Germanic migration has taken place in the past thousand years.
Variations of the surname Raich
The surname Raich is a spelling variant of the German surname Reich, which can be found in many regions of Europe, primarily Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, and Scandinavia.
The surname Raich can also be spelled Riche, Rheit, Reych, Rech, Reiche, Reicher, Rych, Ryche, Riech, Rieche, Reigh, Rygh, Ryght, Riecht, Riecht, Riet, Reist, Reiste, and Reycht.
Surnames of similar origin and related to the Raich surname are Reicht, Reichman, Reichmann, Reichkopf, Reichard, Reisman, Reichel, Reickert, Reicke, Reicks, Reichmuth, Reisig, Reisch, Reischle, Reissig, Reistadt, Reichl, Reizl, Reiches, Reichen, Reichenberger, and Reizenstein.
This surname has many variants and related surnames due to its use across multiple cultures and languages. The multiple spellings demonstrate how surname variants often differ along regional lines and the common origin of related surnames.
Famous people with the name Raich
- Arnold Raich: tennis player and lawyer from Serbia
- Stephen Raich: American actor
- Lothar Raich: German footballer
- Christophe Raich: French actor
- Peter Raich: medical doctor and Neuroscientist from Austria
- Marion Raich: Canadian professional figure skater
- Al Raich: American football coach
- Frank Raich: German painter
- Tracie Raich: American singer
- Nadine Raich: Austrian politician and member of the European Parliament