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

Reich, 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 Reich surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Reich in America

Reich is the 2796th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Reich surname appeared 12,891 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Reich.

We can also compare 2010 data for Reich 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 Reich

The surname REICH originated in Germany and its earliest records date back to the 12th century. The name is derived from the Old High German word "rihhi" which means "ruler" or "king". It is closely related to the modern German word "reich" which translates to "rich" or "wealthy".

In the medieval period, the name REICH was often associated with individuals who held positions of power or authority within their communities. Some of the earliest recorded instances of this surname can be found in old German manuscripts and local records from towns and villages across central Europe.

One notable early bearer of the name REICH was Hermann Reich, a prominent merchant and trader who lived in the city of Nuremberg during the late 15th century. His successful business ventures and wealth earned him a degree of influence and respect among the city's elite.

Another historically significant individual with the surname REICH was Johann Reich, a Protestant reformer and theologian who lived in the 16th century. He was a contemporary of Martin Luther and played an important role in the early years of the Protestant Reformation in Germany.

In the 17th century, a branch of the REICH family settled in the region of Silesia, which was then part of the Kingdom of Prussia. One member of this family, Friedrich Wilhelm Reich, served as a military officer under King Frederick the Great and fought in the Seven Years' War from 1756 to 1763.

As the REICH surname spread throughout Germany and into neighboring countries, it also became associated with various place names and regional variations in spelling. For example, the name was sometimes recorded as "Reiche" or "Reych" in certain areas.

Other notable individuals with the surname REICH include the 19th century German composer Wilhelm Reich, the 20th century psychoanalyst Wilhelm Reich, and the contemporary German artist Petra Reich, who is known for her large-scale public installations and sculptures.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Reich

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

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

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

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