Asbjørn 'Bear' Riis, Danish professional wrestler
Bjarne Riis (born 1964), Danish former professional road bicycle racer, now the team owner and manager of Danish UCI ProTour outfit Team CSC
Fredrik Riis (1789-1845), Norwegian county governor
Jacob Riis (1849-1914), Danish-American muckraker journalist, photographer, and social reformer
Nelson Riis (born 1942), businessman and former Canadian politician and New Democratic Party (NDP) Member of Parliament
Povl Riis, gastroenterologist