Surname Reifgerste - Meaning and Origin

Reifgerste: What does the surname Reifgerste mean?

The surname Reifgerste is a German name derived from the terms ‘reif’ and ‘gerste’ which mean ‘ripe’ and ‘barley’ in English. The term Reifgerste was used to describe someone who worked in a field associated with grains; such as a farmer, miller, or tavern keeper. Records of the surname have been found in the archives of several German regions, making it one of the oldest surnames in the region.

The earliest known recording of the name is from 1545, followed by 1584 and 1608 in various regions around what is now Germany. It is believed to have originated from a region known as Silesia, which is now a part of Poland. The name Reifgerste can also be found throughout Europe, including in the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, France, and Italy.

As of today, Reifgerste is still a fairly common surname in Germany, although it is far less common than it once was. As more people move away from agriculture, the surname is becoming increasingly rare. However, some Reifgerste descendants have moved to other parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Overall, the meaning of the last name Reifgerste is tied to the grains, such as barley, that were used to make bread and other food items back in the Middle Ages. For centuries, Reifgerste descendants have had an important part to play in the agricultural areas of Europe and beyond.

Reifgerste: Where does the name Reifgerste come from?

The surname Reifgerste is predominantly found in Germany today. It is a German surname of locational origin, derived from the place names Reifenberg and Röstbergen, which are located in the German states of Bavaria and Lower Saxony, respectively.

The earliest known bearer of the Reifgerste surname was Rotbert de Riffenberga, recorded in 1218 in the charter of the Cistercian monastery of Eschwege near Witzenhausen in Hesse-Nassau. In the Middle Ages, when people lived mostly in the same region, the family was likely to have been living in and around this area for at least several generations.

Since then, the name has spread across the country and is now found in all of Germany's 16 states, as well as in other countries with German-speaking populations, such as Austria, Switzerland and the USA. The most common towns and cities in Germany with people bearing the surname Reifgerste include Dresden, Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Leipzig, Dortmund, Cologne, Stuttgart, Frankfurt, Bremen, Mannheim, and Heidelberg.

Outside of Germany, there are a few records of the surname, such as birth records from the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada, and records from Austria and Switzerland. There is also evidence of the name appearing in countries where German immigration has had an impact, such as Australia, South Africa, and Mexico. As such, this surname is largely associated with German-speaking countries, although there are a few records of its presence in other parts of the world.

Variations of the surname Reifgerste

The surname Reifgerste is known by a variety of variants and spellings across the world. It is mostly a German surname, but can also be found in other countries where German immigration has occurred.

Variants and spellings of Reifgerste include:

Reifgerst, Reiffgerste, Reifgerste, Reifgerst, Reyfgerste, Rheifgerst, Riefgerste, Riefgerste, Rijfgerste, Ryefgerste, Reifgerste, Reifgersti, Reiffgerst, Reiffgerste.

The surname Reifgerste may also be found as Reiffgerst, Reiffgersd, Reiffgert, Reiffgerti, Reiffgerv, Reiffgervs, Reifgersd, Reifgersdt, Reifgersdte, Reifgersdtin, Reifgersdti, Reifgersdtz, Reifgersds, Reiffgersdt, Reiffgersdtin, Reiffgersdti, Reiffgersdtz, Reiffgerss, Reiffgert, Reiffgerts, Reifgsertz, Reifgsertzen, Reyfgersdt, Reyffgersdt, Reyffgersdtin, Reyffgersdti, Reyffgersdtz, Rheitgersdte, Rheifgersdt, Rheifgersdtin, Rheifgersdti, Rheifgersdtz, Riefgharsdt, Riefgling, Rief sharksdt, Riefsgerst, Riefsgersti, Rijfgersdt, Rijfgersdtin, Rijfgersdti, Rijfgersdtz, Ryefgersdt, Ryefgersdtin, Ryefgersdti, Ryefgersdtz, etc.

These surnames can be found across the world in countries such as Germany, Switzerland, Austria, USA, Canada, France, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, the UK, Australia, etc. In some cases, variations of the spelling can be traced back to the place of origin.

Many immigrants who left Germany have adopted other spellings of the surname Reifgerste. As such, the surname can also be found in the United States and other countries as Reynold, Raynolds, Raynoldson, Rheinold, Rinehiesta, Reynoldston, Reynelds, Reintles, Reichhalt, Reinbolt, Ranolf, Rhinold, Rehnolds, Rehberg, Rhinehold, Rineharl, Reines, Rehlert, Reinhaldt, Reiner, Rehlberger, Rhinhold, Rehberger, Rheinberg, Reinefelt, Rehnelt, Reinemann, Reynolds, Reingold, Reinken, Rhinehart, etc.

Famous people with the name Reifgerste

• Fabian Reifgerste: German football defender who currently plays for the Club Atlético Feldkirch in Austria.
• Tobias Reifgerste: German lawyer and former vicar of the Protestant Church, who received the “Order of Merit” in 2016.
• Manuela Reifgerste: German fashion designer, model, and former Miss Germany 2006.
• Max Reifgerste: German singer and music producer, best known as the lead vocalist of the band “Last Days of Eden”.
• Johannes Reifgerste: Prominent German industrialist who founded Rheinmetall AG, a leading global technology company.
• Walter Reifgerste: German businessman, who had a significant role in the development and expansion of Reifgerste GmbH, his family's business.
• Philipp Reifgerste: German professor of economics, who published several books related to business and finance in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
• Stefan Reifgerste: German journalist and businessman who published and worked for several newspapers and magazines.
• Viola Reifgerste: German actress, best known for her recurring role in the popular sitcom “Stromberg”.
• Paul Reifgerste: German sculptor, who created several structures for the Bavarian castle of Neuschwanstein.

Other surnames

Reifgerst