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

Reh, 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 Reh surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Reh in America

Reh is the 8780th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Reh surname appeared 3,734 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 Reh.

We can also compare 2010 data for Reh 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 Reh

The surname REH is believed to have originated in Germany, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the 16th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Old German word "reh," which translates to "deer" or "roe deer." This suggests that the name may have initially been used as a descriptive nickname for someone who lived near or had a close association with deer.

One of the earliest documented mentions of the surname REH can be found in the parish records of the town of Großenhain, located in the present-day German state of Saxony. These records, dating back to the late 1500s, include entries for individuals with the surname REH, indicating that the name was already in use during that time period.

In the 17th century, the surname REH began to appear in various historical documents and records across different regions of Germany. For instance, the name was mentioned in the tax records of the city of Nuremberg in the early 1600s, indicating that individuals bearing this surname were residing and contributing to the local economy at that time.

One notable individual with the surname REH was Johann Gottfried Reh (1677-1743), a German composer and organist who served as the Kapellmeister (music director) at the court of the Margrave of Bayreuth. His compositions, which included works for organ and harpsichord, were highly regarded during his lifetime and contributed to the development of Baroque music in Germany.

Another significant figure was Friedrich Reh (1820-1892), a German-American architect and civil engineer. Born in Prussia, he immigrated to the United States in the mid-19th century and worked on several prominent architectural projects, including the design of the Milwaukee County Courthouse and the Wisconsin State Capitol building.

In the 19th century, the surname REH also gained prominence in the literary world with the German writer Heinrich Reh (1828-1884). He was a novelist and playwright known for his works depicting rural life and the struggles of the working class in Germany during the Industrial Revolution.

Other notable individuals bearing the surname REH include Johann Christian Gottlieb Reh (1759-1837), a German theologian and author, and Karl Reh (1884-1967), a German historian and educator who specialized in the study of ancient Greek and Roman history.

While the surname REH has roots in Germany and has been documented since the 16th century, it has since spread to other parts of the world, likely due to immigration and migration patterns over the centuries. However, its origins can be traced back to the Old German word "reh," reflecting its connection to the natural world and the significance of deer in the early Germanic cultures.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Reh

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

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

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

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