2000
#6,018
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,263
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.95
Rare Last name
Reel
An occupational surname for someone who made or used reels, such as in textile manufacturing or fishing.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,606 Americans carry the last name Reel. That puts it at #6,638 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.64 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 61,141 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Reel 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 Reel with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
5.6K
1 in 61,141
Census rank
#6,638
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,889 bearers of the surname Reel in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.64 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 6638th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Reel, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.0%. The next largest groups are Black (6.8%) and Two or More Races (3.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Reel
The surname REEL originated in England, first appearing in records during the late 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "regol" meaning "a reel or roller for winding thread or yarn." The name likely referred to someone who worked with reels or rollers, perhaps in the textile industry or a related trade.
One of the earliest known records of the name is in the Feet of Fines, a legal document from 1292, which mentions a Robert le Reel in Oxfordshire. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also contains a reference to a Henry le Reel in Norfolk. These early spellings, with the "le" prefix, indicate the name's occupational origins.
In the 14th century, the name appears in various forms, including Reel, Reele, and Reelle. The Chancery Rolls of 1392 list a John Reel from Cambridgeshire, while the Subsidy Rolls of 1327 record a William Rele in Derbyshire. These variations in spelling were common during this period, as standardized spelling was not yet established.
The surname can also be traced to place names, such as Reel near Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, or Reel in Staffordshire. The connection between the occupational and geographic origins of the name is not entirely clear, but it is possible that individuals took on the surname after migrating from these locations.
Notable individuals with the surname REEL throughout history include:
1. Sir Nathaniel Reel (1602-1678), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Taunton during the Commonwealth period.
2. John Reel (1688-1757), an English clergyman and author of several theological works, including "A Treatise on the Sacraments."
3. Elizabeth Reel (1793-1864), an American pioneer and one of the first settlers in the Oregon Territory, known for her memoir detailing the journey along the Oregon Trail.
4. William Reel (1818-1892), a Scottish-born Australian politician who served as a member of the Legislative Council of New South Wales.
5. Henry Reel (1861-1938), an American architect and designer of numerous buildings in New York City, including the iconic Plaza Hotel.
While the surname REEL may not be as common as some others, its history can be traced back to medieval England, where it emerged as an occupational name in the textile industry or related trades. Over the centuries, it has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including politicians, clergymen, pioneers, and architects.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Reel
Among Census respondents with the surname Reel, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.0%. The next largest groups are Black (6.8%) and Two or More Races (3.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Reel 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 Reel surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White85.0% · 4,157
- Black or African American6.8% · 333
- Two or more races3.7% · 181
- Hispanic or Latino3.1% · 154
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 38
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 26
Timeline
Historical Census data for Reel
Reel 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
#6,399
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,316
+53 bearers (+1.0%)
Per 100,000 1.80
Rank movement Down 381 places
2020
#6,638
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,889
-427 bearers (-8.0%)
Per 100,000 1.64
Rank movement Down 239 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,018 | 5,263 | 1.95 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #6,399 | 5,316 | 1.80 | +53 bearers (+1.0%) | Down 381 places |
| 2020 | #6,638 | 4,889 | 1.64 | -427 bearers (-8.0%) | Down 239 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 Reel 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 | #6,399 | #6,638 | -3.7% |
| Count | 5,316 | 4,889 | -8.0% |
| Per 100K | 1.80 | 1.64 | -9.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Reel bearers went from 5,316 to 4,889 (-8.0% change). The surname moved down 239 positions in the national ranking, going from #6,399 to #6,638.
FAQ
Reel surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Reel?
Name Census estimates that about 5,606 living Americans carry the surname Reel. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 61,141 residents.
How common is Reel?
Reel ranks #6,638 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.64 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,889 people with the surname Reel. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,606), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.64 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.64 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Reel.
Has Reel become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Reel went from 5,316 recorded bearers to 4,889. That is a decrease of 427 (-8.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #6,399 to #6,638.
What does the Census say about the background of Reel?
Among Census respondents with the surname Reel, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.0%. The next largest groups are Black (6.8%) and Two or More Races (3.7%). 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 Reel in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.0% (4,157 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Reel appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (85.0%), Black (6.8%), Two or More Races (3.7%). 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 Reel (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 Reel mean?
An occupational surname for someone who made or used reels, such as in textile manufacturing or fishing. 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 Reel (1.64 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 share the surname Reel?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.