History of your Surname
Get access to Rita family records.Start a free trial

Rita Family History

Rita Name Meaning

Italian Portuguese Spanish and Catalan: from the female personal name Rita a shortened form of Margharita ‘Margaret’ chosen in particular in honor of a 15th-century Italian saint who bore the name in this form.

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


Similar surnames: Vita, Rota, Vida, Ritt, Mita, Riva, Sita, Ritz, Pita, Ruta

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Rita family from?

You can see how Rita families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Rita family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Rita families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there was 1 Rita family living in Ontario. This was 100% of all the recorded Rita's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Rita families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Rita surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Rita ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Rita. 38% of Rita men worked as a Laborer and 25% of Rita women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Rita were Mechanic and Housework. .

View Census Data for Rita | 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.

United States shown, Canada data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    38%
  • Truck Driver
    6%
  • Farmer
    6%
  • Mechanic
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Teacher
    25%
  • Housekeeper
    11%
  • Operator
    9%
  • Housework
    9%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Rita family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 5,000 census records available for the last name Rita. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Rita census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Rita

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Rita. 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 Rita immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 564 military records available for the last name Rita. For the veterans among your Rita ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Rita military records

You've only scratched the surface of Rita family history

Discover More

What is the average Rita lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2004, in the United States, Rita life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1981, and highest in 1970. The average life expectancy for Rita in 1963 was 70, and 63 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Rita

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Rita family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Rita last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial