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Riff Family History

Riff Name Meaning

German: variant of Riewe Americanized form of German Reiff . Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic): unexplained. It is most likely a Hebrew acronymic surname. English: variant of Reeve .

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


Similar surnames: Raff, Siff, Rife, Riffe, Ziff, Reiff, Reif, Liff, Ruff, Griff

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Riff family from?

You can see how Riff families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Riff family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Riff families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 3 Riff families living in Ohio. This was 100% of all the recorded Riff's in USA. Ohio had the highest population of Riff families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Riff surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Riff ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housework were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Riff. 25% of Riff men worked as a Farmer and 20% of Riff women worked as a Housework. Some less common occupations for Americans named Riff were Machinist and House Work. .

View Census Data for Riff | 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.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    25%
  • Laborer
    23%
  • Salesman
    12%
  • Machinist
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housework
    20%
  • Mender
    14%
  • Stenographer
    14%
  • House Work
    14%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Riff family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Riff. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Riff census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Riff

Passenger Lists

There are 984 immigration records available for the last name Riff. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Riff immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Riff. For the veterans among your Riff ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Riff military records

You've only scratched the surface of Riff family history

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What is the average Riff lifespan?

Between 1960 and 2004, in the United States, Riff life expectancy was at its lowest point in 2000, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Riff in 1960 was 56, and 65 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Riff

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Riff family tree

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