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

Reed, 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 Reed surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Reed in America

Reed is the 73rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Reed surname appeared 277,030 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 94 people would have the surname Reed.

We can also compare 2010 data for Reed 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 Reed

The surname REED is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "reed" or "reod," which referred to the tall, slender grass-like plant commonly found growing near bodies of water. The name likely originated as a descriptive term for someone who lived near a reed bed or marshland area.

The earliest known record of the surname REED dates back to the late 12th century in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire, where it appeared as "Radulfus Reed" in 1195. This suggests that the name was already in use as a surname by this time period.

During the 13th century, various spellings of the name were recorded, including "Rede," "Reede," and "Redde," reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling conventions of the time. The name was particularly prevalent in areas with marshlands or wetlands, such as the counties of Lincolnshire, Norfolk, and Somerset.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname REED was John Rede, who was mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273. Another notable early bearer of the name was Sir Robert Rede, a wealthy merchant and Lord Mayor of London, who lived from circa 1380 to 1419.

In the 16th century, the surname REED was found in various records, including the Subsidy Rolls of Warwickshire in 1524, where a Richard Reed was listed. Around this time, the name was also associated with several place names, such as Reedham in Norfolk and Reedley in Lancashire, which may have contributed to the further spread of the surname.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname REED. One example is Walter Reed (1851-1902), an American Army physician who made significant contributions to the understanding and prevention of yellow fever and malaria. Another is Sir Carol Reed (1906-1976), an English film director known for classics like "The Third Man" and "Oliver!"

Other famous individuals with the surname REED include Lou Reed (1942-2013), an American musician and songwriter who was a founding member of the influential rock band The Velvet Underground, and Isadora Reed (1891-1960), an American actress and dancer who was a pioneer of modern dance.

The surname REED has a rich history spanning centuries and continues to be a prevalent surname in many parts of the world, particularly in English-speaking countries. Its origins can be traced back to the Old English language and the descriptive nature of the name, reflecting the close connection between people and the natural environment in which they lived.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Reed

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

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

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

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