Explore the Family Name Ritsema
The meaning of Ritsema
West Frisian: patronymic, formed with the suffix -ma ‘(one of the) men of’, from the personal name Ritse, a short form of an ancient Germanic name with the element rīk ‘powerful, rich’. Some characteristic forenames: German Gerhard, Kurt.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Ritsema in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Ritsema has seen a slight increase in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Ritsema was ranked as the 29,904th most popular surname in the U.S., with 741 individuals bearing this name. By 2010, the rank had risen slightly to 29,693rd position and the number of people with this surname increased to 793, representing a 7.02% increase. The proportion of the Ritsema surname per 100,000 people remained constant at 0.27 over the ten-year period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #29,904 | #29,693 | 0.71% |
| Count | 741 | 793 | 7.02% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.27 | 0.27 | 0% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Ritsema
The ethnicity distribution for individuals with the Ritsema surname has also seen some changes according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. In 2000, a large majority (98.11%) of individuals identified as White, while a small proportion (0.67%) identified as Two or more races or Hispanic each. By 2010, there was a decrease in the proportion of individuals identifying as White (95.59%), while those identifying as Two or more races saw a significant increase to 1.77%. The percentage of Hispanics also increased to 1.64%. Notably, the 2010 census marked the first time that individuals with the Ritsema surname identified as Asian/Pacific Islander, though the proportion remained small at 0.76%. There were no individuals who identified as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 98.11% | 95.59% | -2.57% |
| Two or More Races | 0.67% | 1.77% | 164.18% |
| Hispanic | 0.67% | 1.64% | 144.78% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0.76% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |