Rieger

This intresting name is a German cognate of "Roger", an early name which was introduced into England by the Normans in the forms "Roger" and "Rogier". The name derives ultimately from the Germanic elements "hrod", meaning "renown", plus "geri" or "gari", spear and was influenced in Normandy by the Old Norse form "Hrodgeirr". The personal name became very popular in England and generated a number of variants and diminutive forms such as "Hodge" and "Dodge". The variants "Rogers, Rodgers, Rogerson and Rodgerson" are the patronymic forms, meaning "son of Roger", the "d" in the name suggesting a Scottish origin. Edith Rigar was christened on February 17th 1582 at St. Christopher le Stocks, London, while at St. Annes, Soho in London Frederick Rieger married Christiana Dierr on July 7th 1792. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Richard Roger, which was dated 1263, in the Archaeological Records of Canterbury, Kent, during the reign of King Henry 111, known as "The Frenchman", 1216 - 1272. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.