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

Reedy, 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 Reedy surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Reedy in America

Reedy is the 3017th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Reedy surname appeared 11,884 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Reedy.

We can also compare 2010 data for Reedy 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 Reedy

The surname Reedy is of English origin, derived from the Old English word 'reed', referring to the tall, slender grass-like plant that grows in wetlands and marshes. It likely emerged as a descriptive surname for someone who lived near an area abundant in reeds or who worked with reeds in some capacity.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Reedy can be traced back to the 13th century in various parts of England, including Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Oxfordshire. It was often spelled in a variety of ways, such as Reddy, Reddie, and Reddye, reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling at the time.

One notable early reference to the surname Reedy is found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, which mentions a John Redye. Additionally, the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1279 record a Robert le Redie, indicating the use of the surname in its more modern spelling.

In the 16th century, the surname Reedy appears in various parish records and tax rolls across England. For example, the Parish Registers of Weston-under-Lizard in Staffordshire mention a Thomas Reedy who was born in 1542. Similarly, the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Warwickshire from 1524 list a William Reedy as a taxpayer.

Throughout history, several individuals with the surname Reedy have achieved notable prominence. One such figure was John Reedy (1644-1718), an English merchant and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the city of Bristol. Another was Thomas Reedy (1768-1835), a British military officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and was awarded the Order of the Bath for his valor.

In the literary world, the surname Reedy is associated with the American poet and novelist Alice Reedy (1892-1976), known for her works exploring the experiences of working-class women in the early 20th century. Additionally, George Reedy (1913-1999) was a prominent American journalist and political adviser who served as a speechwriter for President Lyndon B. Johnson.

The surname Reedy has also been carried by notable figures in the field of sports. For instance, William Reedy (1876-1955) was a British footballer who played for several clubs, including Manchester United and Preston North End, in the early years of the 20th century.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Reedy

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

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

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

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