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

Reece, 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 Reece surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Reece in America

Reece is the 1479th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Reece surname appeared 24,145 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 8 people would have the surname Reece.

We can also compare 2010 data for Reece 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 Reece

The surname Reece originates from Wales, deriving from the Welsh personal name Rhys, which is thought to be a cognate of the Old English name Rees or Res. The name Rhys itself is believed to have originated from the Welsh word "ardderchog," meaning "illustrious" or "noble."

Historically, the name Reece has been recorded in various forms, including Rees, Ryce, Rhyce, Ryece, and Reyce. One of the earliest known mentions of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Res" and "Resse."

In the 13th century, a notable figure bearing the name was Rhys ap Gruffydd, also known as The Lord Rhys, who was a powerful Welsh prince and ruler of the Kingdom of Deheubarth from 1155 to 1197. Another prominent individual was Sir Rhys ap Thomas (c. 1449–1525), a Welsh soldier and landholder who played a significant role in the Wars of the Roses and later became a close ally of King Henry VII.

The name Reece has also been associated with various place names throughout Wales, such as Reece's Valley in Glamorgan and Reece's Cottage in Monmouthshire. In some cases, the name may have derived from these place names rather than directly from the personal name Rhys.

Other notable individuals with the surname Reece include:

1. John Reece (1510–1584), a Welsh scholar and translator who produced the first printed book in the Welsh language.
2. Robert Reece (1838–1891), an American lawyer and politician who served as the 40th Governor of Texas from 1887 to 1891.
3. Ambrose Reece (1887–1972), a Welsh rugby union player who represented Wales in the early 20th century.
4. Martha Reece (1899–1989), an American actress who appeared in various films and television shows during the 1930s and 1940s.
5. Lizette Woodworth Reece (1856–1935), an American poet and author known for her works celebrating the beauty of the Chesapeake Bay region.

While the surname Reece has its roots in Wales, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through Welsh migration and settlement. The name continues to hold historical significance and is deeply rooted in the rich cultural heritage of Wales.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Reece

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

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 Reece 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 Reece 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 Reece was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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