Surname Rysdorf - Meaning and Origin

Rysdorf: What does the surname Rysdorf mean?

The last name Rysdorf is a Germanic and East Prussian surname, originating in the territories that were once a part of the old German province of East Prussia. The name can be traced back to the 12th century when the area was settled by Germanic tribes.

The original meaning of the name is derived from two Old German words: rys, meaning "rush, reed"; and dorf, meaning "village". This would indicate that the original bearer of the name Rysdorf is likely to have come from a small rural village situated among stands of tall grass and reeds.

The name is often rendered as Ritzdorf, Ritzdorff, Ritsdorff, Ritzdorfer and Ritsdorf in modern German after the orthographical reforms of the 19th century.

The surname Rysdorf is not found all over Germany, but is mainly concentrated in the former East Prussian territories, such as Lasting and West Prussia, as well as in some parts of Poland that bordered these regions in the past.

The earliest known mention of the surname was in 1272, when a man named Gunter Ritzdorff was recorded in the census of the city of Marienburg, in the former East Prussia.

Today the name Rysdorf is more common in Poland, as many of the Germanic families of the area emigrated in the 20th century after World War II. They may have taken the name with them, explaining why it is so rare in German-speaking countries.

Rysdorf: Where does the name Rysdorf come from?

The last name Rysdorf is most commonly found in Germany today. The earliest known mention of this name is in 1523, in a reference to a Gaspar Rysdorff of East Prussia. There is also some evidence suggesting that the name also had some presence in Poland in the 18th century.

Rysdorf is still an active surname throughout Germany and countries where German diaspora is found, with numbers increasing each year. This can be observed in the digital genealogy website with millions of family tree profiles as well as in names registries across the world. Germany is home to the highest numbers of this surname, with over 627 profiles registered on the popular genealogy website.

Additionally, 20-30 people with the Rysdorf name are found in each of the United States, Austria, Denmark, Australia and Switzerland. The name is even more likely to appear in the United Kingdom, with approximately 148 people in England and an additional 60 people in Scotland having the name.

In conclusion, the Rysdorf surname is most common in Germany, and as the nineteenth century saw more people relocate to other countries around the world, it is now scattered in small numbers around other countries as well.

Variations of the surname Rysdorf

The surname Rysdorf is a habitation name derived from the place name Rysdorf in Germany. It is a topographic name for someone who lived near the region of Rysdorf. This surname also can have alternative spellings and variants, which include Rhydorf, Ryssdorf, Ryßdorf and Ritsdorf.

Rysdorf is also the Anglicized version of the common German surname Reisdorf. This variant is more prevalent in areas of Europe outside Germany, where most inhabitants would not have pronounced the letter "y" as "eye". In these locations, the family name is typically found under the spelling Reisdorf. It is a combination of two small German words, "reis" meaning "rye" and "dorf" meaning "village". This token surname was typically given to a person who originated from a village where rye was the main crop.

Rysdorf is likewise the Americanized version of the common German surname Rischdorf. This variant is more common in areas of the United States, where the letter “y” is more often pronounced as "eee". In this spelling, the family would have been of origin from a village where rushes were the main crop.

In the United States, Rysdorf is also the Americanized version of the Austrian-German surname Rißdorf. This variant is more commonly found in the United States, where the letter "ß" is not typically used and where the letter "y" is also more frequently pronounced as "eee". This variant of Rysdorf refers to someone who lived in a village with a stream.

Finally, Rysdorf can also be a variation of the Russian surname Rezdorf. This version is more often found in areas of Eastern Europe where Russian is the predominant language. This token surname was given to a person who came from a village that was surrounded by trees.

Famous people with the name Rysdorf

• Louise Rydström: Swedish Olympic swimmer and world champion in the 400m individual medley.
• Thomas Rydberg: Swedish Apostolic missionary.
• David Rysdorf: American actor in the TV series “Find Me in Paris”.
• Gottfried Rysdorf: German footballer who played for Arminia Bielefeld.
• Julia Rysdorf: German tennis player.
• Richard Austin Rysdorf: American aviation pioneer and US Navy Chief of Staff.
• Karin Rysdorf: Swedish pianist and composer.
• Robert Rysdorf: American businessman, entrepreneur, and inventor.
• Nikolaos Rysdorf: Greek sprint canoeist.
• Kathleen Rysdorf: Canadian canoeist.
• Elyse Rysdorf: Retired American professional golfer.

Other surnames

RysdorpRysdorph