Rimensberger (surname)

The history of the family name, Rimensberger can be traced to the 10th century in the Alemannic region of Westphalia and Thuringia. The name is closely associated with early Christian movements in these regions.

Over time the spelling and pronunciation of the name started to reflect the different cultural influences. The variations of the name include Riemensberger, Ringenberg, Rhingenberg, Ringenburg, Remsberger, and Riemensperger to mention a few.

During the 13th century and up to the early 17th century the name can be linked to various family branches spread across Westphalia, Silesia, Bavaria and Swabia occupying various estates and serving at various Royal Courts.

During the Thirty Years' War a branch strongly linked to the Roman Catholic Church fled to parts of Switzerland seeking protection under the Abbey of St. Gallen (Kloster St. Gallen) and in the Appenzell region. Remains of a castle named Rimensberg and also small hamlets and hills with that name link the Northeast region of Switzerland with the family. Today, there are regional villages like Lüthisburg and Kirchberg with a large constituency of Rimensbergers. Another section settled in Berne, Argovia and central Switzerland.

During the whole period of Europe's industrialisation, many members of the Rimensberger family emigrated to the United States and Canada as well as to South America.

Some notable recent and current representatives are Emil Friedrich Rimensberger, Swiss Social Attaché in Washington, book author, instigator of the Swiss Foreign Information Service; Prof. Peter Rimensberger, eminent international paediatric and neonatal specialist, executive board member of SPNIC; Georg Rimensberger, artist and art historian; Joseph Rimensberger, Swiss master pastry chef and founder of Fendall Ice cream business in Utah; Wilfried F. Rimensberger, Founding Publisher of Metalhammer magazine, producer