2000
#9,125
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,288
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.22
Rare Last name
Reep
An occupational surname for someone who harvested or sold wheat, barley, or other grains.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,238 Americans carry the last name Reep. That puts it at #14,640 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.65 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 153,152 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Reep 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 Reep with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.2K
1 in 153,152
Census rank
#14,640
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,952 bearers of the surname Reep in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.65 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 14640th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Reep, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.9%) and Hispanic (2.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Reep
The surname REEP is believed to have originated in England during the Anglo-Saxon period. It is derived from the Old English word "rep" or "rep-ian," which means to reap or gather crops. This suggests that the earliest bearers of this name may have been agricultural workers or farmers.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the REEP surname can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086. This historical record, commissioned by William the Conqueror, contains several references to individuals with the name REEP or similar spellings, such as REPE or REAP.
During the Middle Ages, the surname REEP was primarily concentrated in the counties of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire. Some notable historical figures bearing this name include John REEP, a merchant from Oxford who lived in the 14th century, and William REEP, a farmer from Gloucestershire mentioned in records from the late 15th century.
The REEP surname was also associated with several place names in England, such as Reepham in Norfolk and Repton in Derbyshire. These place names likely derived from the Old English words "rep" or "rep-tun," meaning a reaping or harvesting settlement.
One of the most prominent individuals with the REEP surname was Sir Thomas REEP (1551-1624), an English politician and member of parliament during the reign of Elizabeth I and James I. He served as the High Sheriff of Oxfordshire and was known for his involvement in local government affairs.
Another notable figure was Robert REEP (1635-1691), an English clergyman and author who served as the Dean of Windsor and Registrar of the Order of the Garter. He published several works on theology and religious subjects during his lifetime.
In the 18th century, John REEP (1711-1783) was a successful merchant and landowner from Gloucestershire. He was involved in the wool trade and owned several properties in the region.
During the 19th century, the REEP surname gained recognition through the achievements of William REEP (1817-1891), a prominent English architect who designed several notable buildings, including churches and country houses.
Finally, one of the most recent historical figures with the REEP surname was Reginald REEP (1892-1966), a British military officer who served in both World War I and World War II, earning several distinguished service medals for his bravery and leadership.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Reep
Among Census respondents with the surname Reep, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.9%) and Hispanic (2.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Reep 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 Reep surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.0% · 1,738
- Two or more races4.9% · 95
- Hispanic or Latino2.4% · 46
- Black or African American2.2% · 43
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 17
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7% · 13
Timeline
Historical Census data for Reep
Reep 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
#8,529
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,858
+570 bearers (+17.3%)
Per 100,000 1.31
Rank movement Up 596 places
2020
#14,640
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,952
-1,906 bearers (-49.4%)
Per 100,000 0.65
Rank movement Down 6,111 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,125 | 3,288 | 1.22 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #8,529 | 3,858 | 1.31 | +570 bearers (+17.3%) | Up 596 places |
| 2020 | #14,640 | 1,952 | 0.65 | -1,906 bearers (-49.4%) | Down 6,111 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 Reep 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 | #8,529 | #14,640 | -71.6% |
| Count | 3,858 | 1,952 | -49.4% |
| Per 100K | 1.31 | 0.65 | -50.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Reep bearers went from 3,858 to 1,952 (-49.4% change). The surname moved down 6,111 positions in the national ranking, going from #8,529 to #14,640.
FAQ
Reep surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Reep?
Name Census estimates that about 2,238 living Americans carry the surname Reep. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 153,152 residents.
How common is Reep?
Reep ranks #14,640 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.65 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,952 people with the surname Reep. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,238), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.65 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.65 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Reep.
Has Reep become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Reep went from 3,858 recorded bearers to 1,952. That is a decrease of 1,906 (-49.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #8,529 to #14,640.
What does the Census say about the background of Reep?
Among Census respondents with the surname Reep, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.9%) and Hispanic (2.4%). 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 Reep in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.0% (1,738 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Reep appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.0%), Two or More Races (4.9%), Hispanic (2.4%). 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 Reep (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 Reep mean?
An occupational surname for someone who harvested or sold wheat, barley, or other grains. 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 Reep (0.65 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 have the surname Reep?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.