Find out how popular the last name Reader is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Reader.

Reader, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Reader surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Reader in America

Reader is the 9780th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Reader surname appeared 3,313 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Reader.

We can also compare 2010 data for Reader to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Reader

The surname READER originated in medieval England during the 12th century. It was an occupational name derived from the Old English word "rædere," which referred to someone who could read or recite texts aloud, a highly valued skill at a time when literacy rates were low.

The earliest recorded instances of the READER surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire and the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, both dating back to the late 12th century. These early records often spelled the name as "le Redere" or "le Redare," reflecting the Middle English pronunciation.

One of the earliest known bearers of the READER surname was William le Redere, who was mentioned in the Curia Regis Rolls of Bedfordshire in 1214. Another notable figure was Reginald le Redere, a prominent landowner in Warwickshire, whose name appears in the Feet of Fines records from 1268.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the READER surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, and Buckinghamshire, suggesting that the name may have originated in these regions. The surname was also found in various forms, such as "Reder," "Redere," and "Redare," reflecting regional dialects and spelling variations.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the READER surname in its modern spelling can be found in the records of the Guild of Corpus Christi in York, where a certain John Reader was listed as a member in 1475.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the READER surname. One such figure was William Reader (c. 1585-1670), an English clergyman and theologian who served as the Master of Peterhouse, Cambridge, and later became the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge.

Another prominent READER was Sir Samuel Reader (1770-1849), a British naval officer who played a crucial role in the Battle of Navarino during the Greek War of Independence in 1827. He received knighthood for his distinguished service.

In the realm of literature, William Tew Reader (1671-1738) was an English dramatist and poet, best known for his plays "The Modish Husband" and "The Millers Tale."

The READER surname has also been associated with several locations in England, such as Reader's Farm in Berkshire and Reader's Green in Cheshire, further highlighting its deep roots in the country's history.

Overall, the surname READER has a rich and diverse history, tracing its origins back to medieval England and reflecting the importance of literacy and education in the development of surnames during that era.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Reader

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Reader.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Reader was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Reader has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Reader was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Reader, please contact us.

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