The optical absorption spectra of hexagonal rare-earth manganites (RMnO3 with R = Er, Tm, Yb) have been measured in the 5000-13,000 cm(-1) infrared spectral range as a function of temperature between 8 and 300 K. A series of transitions have been assigned for the trivalent rare-earth ions in trigonal crystal field. Some of the Stark components of the rare-earth multiplets split below the Neel-temperature due to antiferromagnetic ordering. The Neel-temperature for the three compounds investigated decreases with increasing ionic radius of the rare-earth ions. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.