Surname Rittker - Meaning and Origin
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Rittker: What does the surname Rittker mean?
The surname Rittker (also spelt Rittköer, Rittekar, and Rytker) is thought to have originated in Germany or the Netherlands many centuries ago. It is believed to be patronymic in origin, deriving from the given name 'Ritt' (or similar) which would have been the name of a paternal ancestor.
The exact meaning of the surname Rittker is uncertain, but it is likely to be related to 'rider' or 'horseman'. Several variants of 'Ritt' refer to galloping or related horse-movements in both Dutch and German, while 'kar' is an old Dutch word for a vehicle-pulling horse. This suggests that the surname would have been adopted by an ancestor who was a skilled horseman and/or wagoner.
As the surname traveled to different areas of Germany and the Netherlands, it may have become adapted in pronunciation as well as spelling, resulting in the many variations which can now be found.
Today, the surname Rittker is fairly rare, but may still be found in Germany and the Netherlands, as well as Scandinavia and even the United States and Canada. Those bearing the name are likely to be descended from a rider, horseman, or wagoner who lived centuries ago.
Order DNA origin analysisRittker: Where does the name Rittker come from?
The last name Rittker is most commonly found in Germany today. The name is linked to the Ritter surname, meaning “knight” in German and a variant of Rödder, another German surname. It is most common in the southern state of Bavaria and in the eastern state of Saxony.
The name is believed to have originated as a job description for a knight or horseman. The first recorded instance of a Rittker family coincided with the settling of Germanic people in the region in the 1200s. It has since spread throughout Germany, becoming common among the population.
The Rittker family also spread to other parts of Europe, particularly during the 1700s and early 1800s. Some members of the family moved to the United States, where the name is also common. A 2012 survey of family names in the United States reported that there were over 5,200 people with the last name Rittker. Although not as ubiquitous as some other German surnames, the name is still a distinctive part of the German heritage.
Variations of the surname Rittker
The surname Rittker is believed to have its origin in the Rittkau, Prussian moment, and it can be spelled in various ways, depending on which country you are looking at. The variants of Rittker include Rittke, Ritke, Ritkhu, Ritko, Rittekau, Ritter, Redeker, Röttker, Redeker, Radaker, Reicher, Radtke, Radtauer and Rankau.
Rittke is a variant found most commonly in Germany. Ritkhu is a rare spelling found in Eastern Europe. Ritko is a variant of Rittker most often found in Romania. Rittekau is found in the U.S., Canada and Australia.
Ritter is a variant that comes from German and is quite common. Redeker is an Old German variant found primarily in the Netherlands. Röttker is a variant found mainly in Germany and the Netherlands.
Radaker is a variant found mainly in Germany. Reicher is a variant of the surname found in Germany it means rich. Radtke is a German name also found in Denmark that means valley dweller. Radtauer is a variant found mainly in Germany and the Czech Republic. Rankau is a variant of the surname found in Germany and it means swamp.
Famous people with the name Rittker
- Matt Rittker: a professional hockey player who played for the St. Louis Blues and is a two-time Stanley Cup Champion.
- Frank Rittker: a Curator and Professor of Photography at the Savannah College of Art and Design and a well-known photographer.
- Jochen Rittker: a German soccer player who plays for the Hannover 96 Club.
- Anji Rittker: a singer and actress who has been on television shows such as The Voice and The X Factor.
- Johann Rittker: a German composer, arranger, conductor, and music educator.
- Andreas Rittker: a German architect and landscape architect.
- August G. Rittker: a German entomologist and botanist.
- Will Rittker: an actor, writer and producer best known for his role in the film Deadweight.
- Rebecca Rittker: a lecturer at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where she teaches classes in German language and cultures.
- Jeanette Rittker: a German football manager who has managed the BV Cloppenburg Women’s Soccer team.