NameCensus.

UK surname

Richter

An occupational surname referring to a judge or arbiter of justice in German-speaking regions.

In the 1881 census there were 132 people recorded with the Richter surname, ranking it #16,744 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 616, ranked #8,530, up from #16,744 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Newcastle St Andrew, London parishes and St James Westminster. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bradford, Harlow and Kirklees.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Richter is 633 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 366.7%.

1881 census count

132

Ranked #16,744

Modern count

616

2016, ranked #8,530

Peak year

2014

633 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Richter had 132 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,744 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 616 in 2016, ranked #8,530.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 339 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Richter surname distribution map

The map shows where the Richter surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Richter surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Richter over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 44 #25,328
1861 historical 47 #28,023
1881 historical 132 #16,744
1891 historical 203 #14,754
1901 historical 307 #11,472
1911 historical 339 #10,510
1997 modern 445 #10,154
1998 modern 478 #9,940
1999 modern 468 #10,160
2000 modern 494 #9,717
2001 modern 482 #9,717
2002 modern 512 #9,470
2003 modern 488 #9,657
2004 modern 496 #9,566
2005 modern 513 #9,276
2006 modern 551 #8,799
2007 modern 534 #9,102
2008 modern 543 #9,060
2009 modern 561 #9,028
2010 modern 602 #8,766
2011 modern 604 #8,647
2012 modern 598 #8,627
2013 modern 632 #8,391
2014 modern 633 #8,429
2015 modern 613 #8,592
2016 modern 616 #8,530

Geography

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Where Richters are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Newcastle St Andrew, London parishes, St James Westminster and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bradford, Harlow, Kirklees, Wycombe and Liverpool. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Newcastle St Andrew Northumberland
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St James Westminster London (West Districts)
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bradford 052 Bradford
2 Harlow 002 Harlow
3 Kirklees 051 Kirklees
4 Wycombe 022 Wycombe
5 Liverpool 043 Liverpool

Forenames

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First names often paired with Richter

These lists show first names that appear often with the Richter surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Richter

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Richter, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Richter surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Richter household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Richter is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Richter is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Richter falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Richter is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

This describes the area pattern most associated with Richter, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Richter

The surname Richter originates from Germany and can be traced back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the German word "Richter," which translates to "judge" in English. This occupational surname was initially given to those who served as judges or magistrates in their respective communities.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Richter can be found in various Germanic regions during the 13th and 14th centuries. In some areas, the name was also spelled as "Richtar" or "Richter." One of the earliest known records appears in a medieval manuscript from the city of Nuremberg, dated 1287, which mentions a certain "Hans Richter."

The Richter surname is also associated with several notable historical figures. One of the most prominent was Johann Richter, a German mathematician and astronomer born in 1537. He made significant contributions to the field of trigonometry and is known for his work on the calculation of sines.

Another influential individual with this surname was Johann Paul Friedrich Richter, a German novelist and satirist who lived from 1763 to 1825. He is renowned for his novel "Hesperus" and is often referred to by his pen name, "Jean Paul."

In the realm of music, Max Richter, a German-British composer born in 1966, has gained international acclaim for his contemporary classical works, including the album "Sleep" and his recompositions of Vivaldi's "Four Seasons."

The name Richter also appears in historical records related to various places and regions. For instance, the town of Richterswil in Switzerland is named after a family with the surname Richter, who were prominent landowners in the area during the Middle Ages.

Other notable individuals with the Richter surname include Johann Richter, a German painter and engraver from the 16th century, and Georg Richter, a German philosopher and pedagogue who lived in the 18th century and made significant contributions to the field of education.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Richter families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Richter surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 68 Richters recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.28x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 68 5.28x
Surrey 16 2.55x
Yorkshire 13 1.02x
Lanarkshire 10 2.40x
Northumberland 6 3.13x
Lancashire 5 0.33x
Somerset 4 1.93x
Sussex 4 1.84x
Hampshire 2 0.76x
Argyllshire 1 2.79x
Berkshire 1 1.03x
Cheshire 1 0.35x
Northamptonshire 1 0.83x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hackney London in Middlesex leads with 14 Richters recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.40x.

Place Total Index
Hackney London 14 19.40x
Lambeth 7 6.24x
Westminster St 7 147.37x
Leeds 6 8.33x
Newington 6 12.62x
Kensington London 5 6.99x
Rutherglen 5 81.83x
St Marylebone London 5 7.27x
Bradford 4 12.95x
Charlcombe 4 1481.48x
Chelsea London 4 10.31x
Glasgow 4 5.41x
Paddington London 4 8.45x
St Anne Soho London 4 54.42x
St George Hanover 4 23.81x
Stoke Newington London 4 39.88x
Whitechapel London 4 31.52x
Brighton 3 6.85x
Elswick 3 19.62x
Jesmond 3 111.11x
Liverpool 3 3.23x
Hammersmith London 2 6.31x
Hornsey 2 12.29x
Shoreditch London 2 3.58x
Westminster St James 2 15.11x
Alverstoke 1 10.47x
Birkenhead 1 4.41x
Bradfield 1 196.08x
Campbeltown 1 23.15x
Cherry Burton 1 500.00x
Coulsdon 1 87.72x
Govan 1 0.97x
Hampstead London 1 4.99x
Horton In Bradford 1 5.02x
Hove 1 10.50x
Middlesbrough 1 6.02x
Mile End Old Town 1 4.92x
Northampton St Giles 1 21.69x
Penge 1 12.17x
Portsmouth 1 16.45x
Spitalfields London 1 10.33x
St Pancras London 1 0.97x
Wandsworth 1 8.07x
West Derby 1 2.24x
Westminster St John 1 6.38x
Withington 1 20.33x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Richter surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Emma 3
Mary 3
Anna 2
Anne 2
Elizabeth 2
Jane 2
A.Clara 1
Agnes 1
Amy 1
Ann 1
Augugta 1
Augusta 1
Brigette 1
Charlott 1
Eliz. 1
Eliza 1
Emily 1
Fatema 1
Florence 1
Georgiana 1
Gertrude 1
Harriet 1
Hedwig 1
Helena 1
Henrietta 1
Isabella 1
Kate 1
Lizzie 1
Louisa 1
Madhilde 1
Magdalena 1
Margaret 1
Marie 1
Maryann 1
Robina 1
Sarah 1
Sophie 1
Theresa 1
Wilhelm 1
Wilhelmina 1
Yaha 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Richter surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Frederick 7
William 7
Ernest 4
Henry 4
George 3
John 3
Joseph 3
Adolph 2
Anton 2
Bruno 2
Christopher 2
Gustave 2
Herman 2
Louis 2
Robert 2
Thomas 2
Adolphe 1
August 1
Augustus 1
Charles 1
Edward 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
Hanrich 1
Herbert 1
Hermann 1
Jean 1
Johann 1
Lums 1
Maximilian 1
Oscar 1
Otto 1
Robin 1
Sydney 1
Theodor 1

FAQ

Richter surname: questions and answers

How common was the Richter surname in 1881?

In 1881, 132 people were recorded with the Richter surname. That placed it at #16,744 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Richter surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 616 in 2016. That gives Richter a modern rank of #8,530.

What does the Richter surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a judge or arbiter of justice in German-speaking regions.

What does the Richter map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Richter bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.