Surname Rikker - Meaning and Origin

Rikker: What does the surname Rikker mean?

The last name Rikker is derived from the Germanic personal name Riecker, which is a pet form of the name Rikhard or Richard. The surname likely originated around the 11th Century, and is most often found in the northern parts of Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark.

The surname Rikker is a combination of two elements, 'ric', which means "ruler," and 'hard,' which means "brave", or "strong." It is thought to have originally been a baptismal name of Germanic origin to signify a parent's appreciation of their child's strength, bravery, and potential to become a leader or ruler in their lifetime.

Throughout history, the Rikker name has been associated with a variety of occupations, including traders, blacksmiths, tailors, masons, and miners. The Rikker surname is also commonly linked to the craft of shoemaking, as those who wore the Rikker surname were known for their high-quality shoemaking skills.

In modern times, the Rikker name is still found throughout the Netherlands, Denmark, and Germany, though it is not as common as it once was. Despite this, there are still a number of Rikker family businesses that remain active today, and the name continues to be associated with strength, bravery, and leadership.

Rikker: Where does the name Rikker come from?

The last name Rikker is most commonly found in the Netherlands, where it ranks among the top 5% of surnames in the country. It is also commonly found in Germany, France, Belgium, South Africa, and the United States.

The origins of this surname most likely trace back to the Netherlands in the 1500s when people began fixing their last name to their region of origin. This practice was known as patronymic naming, and it is still seen today. Examples of patronymic surnames ending with Rikker include Kokkerikker and Janrikker.

The majority of Rikker families in the Netherlands are based in the province of Friesland which is located in the northern part of the country. Records suggest that the groups of facilities used for refining and smelting copper ore in this region, known as Rikkerts, were one of the first families to carry the surname.

In the United States, most Rikker families are located in the Midwest, with concentrations in Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota. These families most likely migrated to the US during the Great Famine, which saw millions of Europeans immigrate to the United States in search of a better life.

Although the original Rikkers may have been Dutch, the name has since spread across the world. This is typical of many surname, which often change over time to reflect the countries and cultures that people come into contact with.

Variations of the surname Rikker

Rikker is a Dutch surname with several variants, spellings, and surnames of German, Danish, and North German origin. In the Netherlands it is mostly spelled Rikker, but in other countries can also be found as Riker, Rigger, Rictor and Rieker.

In Germany, it can have the spellings Reiker, Regyer, Riecker, Reichar and Reicher. The Danish form is Rigter and Riksen. In the Netherlands, the Dutch variants are Rikkers and Richters.

In North Germany, Rikker is sometimes written as Rigger and in South Germany as Richter. It can also be found in Luxembourg and Belgium as Reicker and Rieker.

Rikker is a patrilineal surname meaning ‘descendant of Ricco’, using the prefix Ricco or Riksen to refer to someone of noble birth. It is likely that Rikker is derived from the old Germanic word ‘Rikko’ meaning ‘powerful’ or ‘valiant’.

The Rikker family can also be found among the Germanic people of the Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium and Luxembourg, where the name is often spelled differently than in the Netherlands.

It is also found in parts of Switzerland, where it is written as Reicker or Rycker and in some parts of the United States, such as Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, where it is spelled as Riker or Ricker.

In Switzerland, Rikker is also found as Rincke and Rycke and it is also found in Canada, where it is sometimes written as Reichar or Riecker.

The Rikker family can also be found among the Germanic people of the Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium and Luxembourg, where the name is often spelled differently than in the Netherlands. However, the origin of the surname and its variants remains the same, with the primary meaning of ‘noble strength’ or ‘valiant strength’.

Famous people with the name Rikker

• Mick Riker: a professional poker player, businessman, and mentor.
• Styn Riker: a vocalist and composer from Quebec, Canada.
• Max Riker: an American professional wrestler.
• Don Riker: an American stuntman and actor.
• Micah Riker: an American film producer and director.
• Larry Riker: an American jazz drummer.
• Dan Riker: an American actor and director.
• Rick Riker, pseudonym of Jeffrey Schwartz: an American writer and comic book artist.
• Eric Riker: a Canadian film and television actor.
• Clint Riker: an American dance instructor and choreographer.

Other surnames

RikkenRikkers