2000
#14,033
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,971
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.73
Rare Last name
Reetz
A German occupational surname derived from the word "Riez" meaning "reed".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,159 Americans carry the last name Reetz. That puts it at #15,050 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.63 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 158,756 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Reetz 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
2.2K
1 in 158,756
Census rank
#15,050
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,883 bearers of the surname Reetz in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.63 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 15050th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Reetz, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.0%) and Two or More Races (2.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Reetz
The surname Reetz originated in Germany, specifically in the state of Brandenburg. It is believed to have derived from the Old German word "ret," meaning "reed," which suggests that the name may have been an occupational name for someone who worked with reeds or lived near a reed-filled area.
The earliest recorded instance of the name Reetz dates back to the 13th century, with references found in medieval records from the region. One notable example is a mention of a landowner named Henricus Reetz in a document from 1267, relating to a property transaction in the village of Retzow, near Potsdam.
In the 14th century, the name Reetz appeared in various forms, such as Retz, Retze, and Retzke, reflecting the regional variations in spelling and pronunciation. During this period, the name was also associated with several place names in Brandenburg, including Retzow, Retzau, and Retzien.
One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname Reetz was Johann Reetz (1570-1638), a Lutheran theologian and author from Neuruppin, Brandenburg. He authored several theological works and served as a pastor in various churches throughout the region.
Another prominent figure was Wilhelm Reetz (1799-1868), a German painter and engraver from Berlin. He is known for his intricate engravings and etchings depicting landscapes and architectural scenes from around Europe.
In the 19th century, the Reetz family gained prominence in the field of agriculture and land ownership. Ernst Reetz (1818-1892), a landowner and farmer from Neuruppin, was instrumental in the development of modern farming techniques and agricultural practices in the region.
Another noteworthy individual was Emilie Reetz (1863-1927), a German educator and women's rights activist. She founded several schools and organizations dedicated to promoting education and equal opportunities for women in Germany.
The surname Reetz also found its way into literature, with the writer and poet Max Reetz (1876-1954) gaining recognition for his works exploring themes of nature, love, and the human condition.
Despite its German origins, the surname Reetz has spread to other parts of Europe and beyond, with various branches of the family establishing themselves in different regions over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Reetz
Among Census respondents with the surname Reetz, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.0%) and Two or More Races (2.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Reetz 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 Reetz surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.0% · 1,751
- Hispanic or Latino3.0% · 56
- Two or more races2.4% · 45
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.1% · 20
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 8
- Black or African American0.2% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Reetz
Reetz 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
#15,418
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,900
-71 bearers (-3.6%)
Per 100,000 0.64
Rank movement Down 1,385 places
2020
#15,050
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,883
-17 bearers (-0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.63
Rank movement Up 368 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #14,033 | 1,971 | 0.73 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #15,418 | 1,900 | 0.64 | -71 bearers (-3.6%) | Down 1,385 places |
| 2020 | #15,050 | 1,883 | 0.63 | -17 bearers (-0.9%) | Up 368 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 Reetz 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 | #15,418 | #15,050 | 2.4% |
| Count | 1,900 | 1,883 | -0.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.64 | 0.63 | -1.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Reetz bearers went from 1,900 to 1,883 (-0.9% change). The surname moved up 368 positions in the national ranking, going from #15,418 to #15,050.
FAQ
Reetz surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Reetz?
Name Census estimates that about 2,159 living Americans carry the surname Reetz. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 158,756 residents.
How common is Reetz?
Reetz ranks #15,050 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.63 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 1,883 people with the surname Reetz. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,159), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.63 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.63 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 Reetz.
Has Reetz become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Reetz went from 1,900 recorded bearers to 1,883. That is a decrease of 17 (-0.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #15,418 to #15,050.
What does the Census say about the background of Reetz?
Among Census respondents with the surname Reetz, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.0%) and Two or More Races (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 Reetz in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.0% (1,751 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Reetz appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.0%), Hispanic (3.0%), Two or More Races (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 Reetz (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 Reetz mean?
A German occupational surname derived from the word "Riez" meaning "reed". 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 Reetz (0.63 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 Reetz?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.