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

Reeser, 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 Reeser surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Reeser in America

Reeser is the 9890th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Reeser surname appeared 3,270 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Reeser.

We can also compare 2010 data for Reeser 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 Reeser

The surname "REESER" is believed to have originated in Germany, where it first appeared in the early 16th century. It is thought to be derived from the German word "reiser," which means "traveler" or "wanderer." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who frequently traveled or led a nomadic lifestyle.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the town of Reisenhausen, located in the region of Bavaria, Germany. In a church register from 1532, a man named Hans Reeser is listed as a resident of the village. It is possible that the name was originally a descriptive nickname that later became a hereditary surname.

The name "REESER" also shares similarities with the German word "reisen," which means "to travel." This further supports the theory that the name was originally associated with individuals who were known for their travels or migration patterns.

Historical records indicate that the name gradually spread from its origins in Bavaria to other regions of Germany, as well as neighboring countries such as Austria and Switzerland. By the 17th and 18th centuries, the name had become more widely established across various parts of Central Europe.

One notable figure who bore the surname "REESER" was Johann Reeser (1632-1704), a German composer and organist who was active in the late 17th century. He served as the court organist for the Prince-Bishopric of Bamberg and composed numerous works for the organ and other instruments.

Another individual of note was Friedrich Reeser (1791-1868), a German lawyer and politician who served as a member of the Frankfurt Parliament during the Revolutions of 1848. He was a prominent advocate for liberal reforms and played an influential role in the political debates of his time.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname "REESER" was Jacob Reeser (1754-1831), who was born in Pennsylvania to German immigrant parents. He served as a private in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.

Another notable American with this surname was Charles Reeser (1860-1932), a businessman and politician from Ohio. He served as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives and was involved in various business ventures, including the steel and coal industries.

Lastly, Wilhelmina Reeser (1881-1961) was a Dutch-American artist and illustrator who was known for her work in children's literature. She illustrated several books and contributed illustrations to various publications throughout her career.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Reeser

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

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

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

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