The Family Name

 

Reitter like Reiter and Reuter has different origins from the eponymous late Middle Ages.

Reitter with double-T is in Germany by far the least likely (187 entries in the
German telephone book). Among the three names were on the one hand
lead the noun "Reiter" (horseback servant), but more frequently (The) "Reiter"
a coarse sieve to separate wheat and chaff.

In many cases, the names origin is mainly for southern Germany and Austria
Reiter and Reitter the word "reuten" which means "to make a clearing":
Middle High-German "Riet" = clearing, settlement, Middle High-German "riuten" = to clear,
order the field.

Therefore also many places whose regions formation were created by
clearings, have the suffix -ried, -raith, -reit in the name.