Surname Reichenbächer - Meaning and Origin

Reichenbächer: What does the surname Reichenbächer mean?

The surname Reichenbächer is an old-fashioned, Germanic name derived from the Middle High German term “reichenbacke”, meaning “rich man”. As such, the name Reichenbacher generally denotes “descendants of a rich man” or people who continue the lineage of a wealthy or noble ancestor. It is believed to have originated in the region of what is now Germany.

The name first appears in records dating back to the early 15th century, appearing as a forename in a document from the State Archive of Austria from 1450. It is possible that the name Reichenbacher was adopted by some Jews in Central and Eastern Europe, as a Jewish variant of the Austrian-German surname.

In modern day, the name Reichenbacher is still very popular in the German-speaking countries of Austria, Switzerland, and Germany, where it can be found in phone books and local records. It is also seen in various anglicized spellings, such as Reichbach and Reichbank.

Though the meaning of Reichenbacher is well-documented, its cultural connotations are not. The surname's positive connotations of wealth and stature likely stem from its ancestral roots in the esteemed Castilians of Central Europe. On the other hand, the link to wealth may bring about feelings of snobbery and class discrimination against those with the name.

Reichenbächer: Where does the name Reichenbächer come from?

The last name Reichenbächer is most common in Germany and Austria. It is a German-language surname, derived from the words Reichen or Reich, meaning "rich," and Bächer, a Bavarian and Swiss German term for farmer. The name is often an indicator of an individual’s place of origin, as the surname is largely concentrated in southern areas near the borders with Austria, Switzerland, and Slovenia, where rural agricultural life was more common.

In Germany, the most common cities with the Reichenbächer name include Heimertingen, Lauingen, Zainingen, and Lechbruck, all of which are in Bavaria. In Austria, the towns of Wiener Neustadt, Westendorf, and Schladming have a large concentration of the surname. In fact, records from 1821 indicate that the top three counties in Austria with the highest rate of the last name Reichenbächer were Wiener Neustadt, Westendorf, and Schladming.

In addition to Germany and Austria, the Reichenbächer name can also be found in numerous other parts of Europe, in countries such as Italy, France, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Croatia. The name has spread to North America as well, with several Reichenbächers living in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

In general, the name appears to be associated with a rural or agrarian past, but today the Reichenbächers are found in many parts of the world, in both urban and rural areas, and from varied backgrounds and professions.

Variations of the surname Reichenbächer

The surname Reichenbächer has several variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. Reichenbächer can be spelled in several ways, including Reicherbächer, Reicherbacher, Reicherbacker, Reicherbacher, Reicherbakker, Reichersbacher, Reichherbacher, Reichherbacker, Richbourbaker, Richbourbacher, Richbäker, Richbaker, Richbacker, Richbacher, Richbakker, Riebersbacher, Riechersbacher, Riechersbacker, Rieckebäcker, Rieckebacker, or Rieckelbäcker.

The surnames of the same origin can also vary depending on the language. For instance, in German the surname Reichenbächer is spelled Reichenbacher, while in Dutch it is spelled Reijkenboer. In some cases, the surname might even be pronounced differently when using a different language.

In addition to the various spellings of Reichenbächer, the surname can also be found under various variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. For instance, the surnames Reich, Reichard, Reichel, Reichmann, Reichelt, Reicher, Reichardt, Reichert, Richter, and Richert are all variations of Reichenbächer.

Overall, the surname Reichenbächer has a plethora of variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. There are several spelling iterations of the name, and many different surnames of the same origin that can be found for the surname Reichenbächer.

Famous people with the name Reichenbächer

• Alexander Reichenbächer: professional video game player known as "rdl".
• Michael Reichenbächer: German actor, director, and screenwriter.
• Thomas Reichenbächer: Austrian former ski jumper.
• Peter Reichenbächer: German Olympic equestrian.
• Mario Reichenbächer: German footballer who played for 1. FC Kaiserslautern.
• Irene Reichenbächer: Germany's successful dressage rider.
• Yvonne Reichenbächer: German singer and songwriter.
• Dr. Andreas Reichenbächer, Professor of Medical Physics and Head of Center for Molecular Medical Microfgraphics at the University Hospital Cologne.
• Sebastian Reichenbächer: German cinematographer and vlogger.
• Helga Reichenbächer: Austrian cross-country skier who competed in the 1960s.

Other surnames

Reichenbach