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

Regis, 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 Regis surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Regis in America

Regis is the 10453rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Regis surname appeared 3,076 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 Regis.

We can also compare 2010 data for Regis 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 Regis

The surname Regis has its origins in France, tracing its roots back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Latin word "rex," meaning "king," and is believed to have initially been a nickname given to those who exhibited regal or noble qualities.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Regis can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry mentions a landholder named Reginaldus Regis, indicating the presence of the name in Norman England during this period.

Throughout the centuries, the Regis surname has been associated with various notable figures. One such individual was Jean-Baptiste Regis, a French Jesuit priest and missionary who lived from 1597 to 1640. He dedicated his life to serving the poor and marginalized communities in the south of France and is venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church.

Another prominent bearer of the Regis name was Régis Debray, a French philosopher and theorist born in 1940. He is best known for his writings on revolutionary theory and his involvement in the Cuban Revolution, having fought alongside Che Guevara in the 1960s.

In the literary realm, the Regis surname is associated with Marie-Catherine Desjardins, Madame de Villedieu, a French novelist and playwright who lived from 1640 to 1683. She was a prominent figure in the literary circles of her time and is remembered for her contributions to the development of the novel genre.

The name Regis has also been linked to various places and locations throughout history. For instance, the town of Regis-Breitingen in Saxony, Germany, is believed to have derived its name from a person named Regis or a variation of the name.

Over the centuries, the Regis surname has undergone various spellings and variations, including Regiss, Regisse, Regisz, and Regiszter, reflecting the linguistic and cultural influences of different regions.

It is worth noting that while the surname Regis has a rich history, it is essential to approach historical records and accounts with a critical eye, as some details may have been subject to embellishment or inaccuracies over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Regis

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

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

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

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