2010
#154,907
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Reefe
A surname derived from the Old English word "refe," meaning an official or bailiff.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Reefe. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Reefe 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.
Bearers in the US
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Reefe in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Reefe, the largest self-reported group is White at 71.2%. The next largest groups are Black (11.0%) and Two or More Races (10.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Reefe
The surname "REEFE" is of English origin and can be traced back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "ref", which means "basket" or "wicker container". This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who made or sold baskets.
The earliest recorded instance of the name "REEFE" appears in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1198, where a person named William Reve is mentioned. This spelling variation of "Reve" is thought to be an early form of the modern "REEFE" surname.
In the 13th century, the name "REEFE" began appearing in various historical records across southern England, particularly in the counties of Wiltshire, Somerset, and Dorset. This geographic concentration suggests that the name may have originated in this region.
One notable historical figure bearing the name "REEFE" was Sir John Reefe (1540-1612), a member of the English gentry and landowner in Somersetshire. He served as High Sheriff of Somerset in 1592 and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I in 1603.
Another significant individual was Richard Reefe (1615-1681), an English Puritan minister and author. He was a prominent figure during the English Civil War and served as a chaplain in the Parliamentary army.
In the 18th century, the surname "REEFE" was associated with several notable figures in the arts and sciences. For instance, Samuel Reefe (1720-1789) was an English painter and engraver, known for his landscapes and portraits.
Additionally, Thomas Reefe (1742-1808) was a British botanist and horticulturist who made significant contributions to the study of plant taxonomy and the classification of various plant species.
Another individual worth mentioning is William Reefe (1772-1855), an English architect and civil engineer. He was responsible for designing several notable buildings and structures, including the Royal Pavilion in Brighton.
Throughout its history, the surname "REEFE" has also been subject to various spelling variations, such as "Reeve", "Reeffe", and "Reaf", reflecting the evolution of language and regional dialects over time.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Reefe
Among Census respondents with the surname Reefe, the largest self-reported group is White at 71.2%. The next largest groups are Black (11.0%) and Two or More Races (10.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Reefe 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 Reefe surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White71.2% · 84
- Black or African American11.0% · 13
- Two or more races10.2% · 12
- Hispanic or Latino5.9% · 7
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Reefe
Reefe appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
+13 bearers (+12.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 11,396 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #154,907 | 105 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | +13 bearers (+12.4%) | Up 11,396 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 Reefe 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 | #154,907 | #143,511 | 7.4% |
| Count | 105 | 118 | 12.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -1.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Reefe bearers went from 105 to 118 (+12.4% change). The surname moved up 11,396 positions in the national ranking, going from #154,907 to #143,511.
FAQ
Reefe surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Reefe?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Reefe. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Reefe?
Reefe ranks #143,511 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 118 people with the surname Reefe. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Reefe.
Has Reefe become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Reefe went from 105 recorded bearers to 118. That is an increase of 13 (+12.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #154,907 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Reefe?
Among Census respondents with the surname Reefe, the largest self-reported group is White at 71.2%. The next largest groups are Black (11.0%) and Two or More Races (10.2%). 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 Reefe in the 2020 Census, accounting for 71.2% (84 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Reefe appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (71.2%), Black (11.0%), Two or More Races (10.2%). 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 Reefe (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 Reefe mean?
A surname derived from the Old English word "refe," meaning an official or bailiff. 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 Reefe (0.04 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 common is the surname Reefe?
See how many people have the last name Reefe on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.