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Richter Family History

Richter Name Meaning

German: occupational or status name for an arbiter or judge Middle High German rihtære (from rihten ‘to make right’). The term was used in the Middle Ages mostly to denote a part-time legal official. Such communal conciliators held a position of considerable esteem in rural communities; in eastern Germany the term came to denote a village headman which was often a hereditary office. It is in this part of Germany that the surname is most frequent. The surname Richter is also common in many other European countries most notably Czechia Poland Hungary Slovakia France and the Netherlands and also in South Africa. See also 3 below. Jewish (Ashkenazic): occupational name for a rabbinic judge from German Richter ‘judge’ (see 1 above). See also Dayan . Germanized form of Slovenian Rihtar and Rihter: occupational or status name from rihtar a term of Middle High German origin (see 1 above) denoting an arbiter or judge later also a village headman.

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


Similar surnames: Lichter, Dichter, Wachter, Richer, Ritter, Eicher, Risher, Riester

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Where is the Richter family from?

You can see how Richter families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Richter family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Richter families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 54 Richter families living in Ontario. This was about 32% of all the recorded Richter's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Richter families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Richter surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Richter ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Farmer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Richter. 71% of Richter men worked as a Farmer and 100% of Richter women worked as a Farmer. .

View Census Data for Richter | 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.

Top Male Occupations In 1921

  • Farmer
    71%
  • Laborer
    10%
  • Carpenter
    5%
  • Electrician
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Farmer
    100%
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What Richter family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 125,000 census records available for the last name Richter. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Richter census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Richter

Passenger Lists

There are 54,000 immigration records available for the last name Richter. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Richter immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 78,000 military records available for the last name Richter. For the veterans among your Richter ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Richter lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Richter life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1947, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Richter in 1941 was 64, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Richter

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