2000
#2,299
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 14,465
First available Census row
Per 100,000 5.36
Uncommon Last name
Reaves
Derived from the Old French word "rives," meaning "riverbanks," likely referring to someone who lived near a river.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 17,224 Americans carry the last name Reaves. That puts it at #2,370 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 5.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 19,900 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Reaves surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Reaves with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
17K
1 in 19,900
Census rank
#2,370
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
5.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
15K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 15,020 bearers of the surname Reaves in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 5.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2370th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Reaves, the largest self-reported group is White at 52.8%. The next largest groups are Black (38.9%) and Two or More Races (4.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Reaves
The surname Reaves originated in England, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "refe," which means a bailiff or a land steward. The name likely referred to someone who held such a position or was associated with that occupation.
The surname Reaves can be traced back to various counties in England, including Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Derbyshire. It is often associated with the village of Reeves in Lincolnshire, which may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the name over time.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Reaves can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it appears as "Reve." This ancient document was a survey of landholdings and tenants in England, providing valuable insights into the distribution and prevalence of surnames during that period.
In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various forms, such as "Reve," "Reeve," and "Reven," reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling. The Reaves family was well-established in Derbyshire, where records show several members holding prominent positions in the local community.
John Reaves, born in 1510 in Yorkshire, was a notable figure in the English Reformation. He was a Protestant reformer and a close associate of Archbishop Thomas Cranmer. Reaves played a significant role in translating and distributing religious texts during a time of great religious upheaval in England.
Another prominent individual with the surname Reaves was William Reaves, born in 1625 in Lincolnshire. He was a successful merchant and landowner, known for his philanthropic efforts in supporting local churches and educational institutions.
In the 18th century, Thomas Reaves, born in 1745 in Derbyshire, made a name for himself as a skilled engineer and inventor. He is credited with developing several innovative agricultural tools and machinery, contributing to the advancement of farming practices in England.
The Reaves family also had connections to the arts, with Elizabeth Reaves, born in 1780 in Yorkshire, being a renowned portrait painter. Her works were highly sought after by the aristocracy and are still displayed in various art galleries across England.
Benjamin Reaves, born in 1832 in Lincolnshire, was a celebrated explorer and naturalist. He embarked on several expeditions to remote regions of Africa and Asia, documenting the flora and fauna of these areas and contributing significantly to the field of natural history.
While the surname Reaves has its roots in England, it has since spread across the globe, with descendants of the early Reaves families found in various parts of the world. The name continues to carry a rich historical legacy, reflecting the diverse experiences and achievements of those who have borne it over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Reaves
Among Census respondents with the surname Reaves, the largest self-reported group is White at 52.8%. The next largest groups are Black (38.9%) and Two or More Races (4.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Reaves bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Reaves surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White52.8% · 7,932
- Black or African American38.9% · 5,842
- Two or more races4.4% · 665
- Hispanic or Latino3.1% · 467
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 64
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 50
Timeline
Historical Census data for Reaves
Reaves appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#2,344
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 15,550
+1,085 bearers (+7.5%)
Per 100,000 5.27
Rank movement Down 45 places
2020
#2,370
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 15,020
-530 bearers (-3.4%)
Per 100,000 5.03
Rank movement Down 26 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #2,299 | 14,465 | 5.36 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #2,344 | 15,550 | 5.27 | +1,085 bearers (+7.5%) | Down 45 places |
| 2020 | #2,370 | 15,020 | 5.03 | -530 bearers (-3.4%) | Down 26 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Reaves surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,344 | #2,370 | -1.1% |
| Count | 15,550 | 15,020 | -3.4% |
| Per 100K | 5.27 | 5.03 | -4.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Reaves bearers went from 15,550 to 15,020 (-3.4% change). The surname moved down 26 positions in the national ranking, going from #2,344 to #2,370.
FAQ
Reaves surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Reaves?
Name Census estimates that about 17,224 living Americans carry the surname Reaves. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 19,900 residents.
How common is Reaves?
Reaves ranks #2,370 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 5.03 per 100,000 residents, which is about 5 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 15,020 people with the surname Reaves. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (17,224), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 5.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 5.03 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 5 of them to have the surname Reaves.
Has Reaves become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Reaves went from 15,550 recorded bearers to 15,020. That is a decrease of 530 (-3.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #2,344 to #2,370.
What does the Census say about the background of Reaves?
Among Census respondents with the surname Reaves, the largest self-reported group is White at 52.8%. The next largest groups are Black (38.9%) and Two or More Races (4.4%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Reaves in the 2020 Census, accounting for 52.8% (7,932 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Reaves appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (52.8%), Black (38.9%), Two or More Races (4.4%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Reaves (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Reaves mean?
Derived from the Old French word "rives," meaning "riverbanks," likely referring to someone who lived near a river. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Reaves (5.03 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Reaves?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.