Surname Ries - Meaning and Origin

Uncovering the Ancestral Tapestry of the Surname 'Ries' Through the iGENEA DNA Test

Recently, I undertook a journey into my ancestral past by getting an iGENEA DNA test. The comprehensive genetic analysis illuminated the fascinating ancestral origins and historical migration patterns involved with my surname, Ries. I discovered surprising ties to various regions and cultures, painting a complex portrait of a surname rooted in Germanic ancestry with ties to Celtic, Viking, and Jewish lineages.

R. Ries

Ries: What does the surname Ries mean?

The surname Ries is of German origin and is believed to be a topographic name for someone who lived in a marsh or bog area. The name derives from the Middle High German word "riese" which means 'giant', or 'tall, large'. However, in southern dialects, the term was used to denote swampy land or reeds. Hence, it can also indicate someone who lived by a reed bed. It could also be a patronymic name, derived from the personal name "Riso". Like many surnames, the exact interpretation can vary based on regional uses and ancestral lines. Therefore, it's important to know that meanings can change based on specific family histories and origins. The surname Ries is quite common in Germany and is also found among Ashkenazic Jewish communities.

Ries: Where does the name Ries come from?

Today, the last name Ries is most commonly found in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and bordering regions. The name is derived from the German word "riese," meaning giant. It is an old Germanic surname, thought to have originated in Central German or Saxon regions sometime prior to the 12th century.

The name is found most often in southeastern Germany and surrounding areas of Austria and Switzerland. The states of Bavaria and Saxony are two of the most common places with the last name, as well as northern Poland and parts of the Czech Republic. It is less common in other parts of Germany, as well as the Netherlands and Luxembourg.

In the United States, the name Ries is relatively rare. The earliest recorded instance of the name in America dates back to 1740 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Americans with the surname typically descend from German immigrants who landed in the early years of settlement. Today, the greatest concentration of people with the last name Ries is found in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Ohio, and New York. However, due to its German heritage, the name can be found in small numbers throughout the rest of the United States.

Variations of the surname Ries

The surname Ries has a few distinct variants, spellings and surnames that stem from the same origin.

The most common variant of Ries is Rees. This is the Welsh version of the name and is found in the coastal regions of south Wales. Other variants found in this region include Rees, Rhys, Reese, Rye, Reiss and Reece. In Germany, the surname Ries is equivalent to the English word 'rice' and has variants such as Reis, Reiss, Rieß and Rheis.

Other variants found more widely in Europe include Riese, Riess, Rhees and Reise. The French version of the surname is Reys or Rées. In other languages, the surname is typically spelt differently, such as Ríos in Spanish and Ramos in Portuguese.

Finally, some variants are found in other parts of the world, such as Ryce in the US.

In total, the surname Ries has over a dozen distinct variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin found around the globe.

Famous people with the name Ries

• Chris Ries: Chris Ries is an American entrepreneur and investor. He was the co-founder and CEO of RocketOccom, a pioneering online market research and analytics company, before its sale to Acxiom Corporation in 2007.
• Aggie Ries: Agatha „Aggie” Ries was a German WW II resistance fighter. She helped more than 300 people escape to Switzerland or relocate to the United States and is commemorated in Berlin's Topography of Terror.
• Charles Ries: Charles Ries was an American admiral in the U.S. Navy. He played a major role in the Cold War nuclear strategy. He was chief of the navy's overseas policy division under President Kennedy and directed strategic arms control efforts in the Nixon administration.
• Ernst Ries: Ernst Ries was a German inventor who invented the first commercial car, the Karl Benz patent motorwagen. His inventions also include the differential gear, which is still used in almost every automobile today.
• Fred Ries: Fred Ries was an American actor who starred in the sitcom sitcom Me and the Chimp and appeared in several movies. He was best remembered for his portly role as “Pop” in the television series Fantabulous.
• Jimmy Ries: Jimmy Ries is a professional snowboarder from Michigan who has had multiple X Games medal wins. He also founded the Jimmy Ries Fund, which focuses on poverty relief and education.
• Jo Huston Ries: Jo Huston Ries was a pioneering female pilot. She was the first woman to fly solo across the United States, as well as the first woman to fly solo around the world.
• Johann Ries: Johann Ries was a prominent German physicist in the 19th century. His experiments in electricity earned him an honorary PhD from Göttingen University and his theory of induction provided the basis for the fundamentals of electrical engineering.
• Lawrence Ries: Professor Lawrence Ries is an American physicist and the first Director of the Center for Nonlinear Studies at Los Alamos National Laboratory. He is best known for his work on chaos theory and laser physics.
• Richard Ries: Richard Ries is a German film producer and television executive. He has produced numerous films, including Spare Parts (2016), Am Tau (2017) and Wir Sind Die Nachbarn (2018).

Other surnames

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