South German and German: from Middle High German reif ‘(barrel) hoop’, ‘ribbon’, ‘cord’, hence a metonymic occupational name for a cooper or maker of ribbons, or from a house or tavern with the sign of a hoop.
German: from the medieval personal name Riff, a short form of the Germanic name Richfrit, composed of the elements ric ‘power(ful)’ + frid ‘peace’.
Jewish (Ashkenazic): ornamental name or nickname from German reif ‘mature’.
Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-508137-4
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