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

Reives, 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 Reives surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Reives in America

Reives is the 71478th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Reives surname appeared 273 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Reives.

We can also compare 2010 data for Reives 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 Reives

The surname REIVES is believed to have originated from the French word 'rives', which means 'riverbanks' or 'shores'. It is presumed that the name was first adopted by individuals who lived near a river or coastline. The earliest known records of this surname date back to the 12th century in the northern regions of France and parts of modern-day Belgium.

In the late 13th century, there are documented instances of the surname REIVES appearing in English records, suggesting that individuals with this name may have migrated from France to England during that period. One notable reference is found in the tax rolls of Lincolnshire, where a certain Robert de Rives is mentioned in 1292.

During the Middle Ages, the surname underwent various spellings, such as Rives, Riveys, and Ryveys, reflecting the regional dialects and scribal variations of the time. In the 15th century, the spelling 'REIVES' became more commonly used, particularly in the northern counties of England.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname REIVES was John Reives, a merchant from York who was active in the early 1400s. Another notable figure was William REIVES (c. 1480-1550), a landowner and minor nobleman from Northumberland, whose family held estates near the River Tyne.

In the 16th century, the REIVES surname gained prominence in Scotland, particularly in the Borders region. During this time, the Reivers, a group of notorious raiders and cattle thieves, operated in the Anglo-Scottish border areas. While the connection between the surname and the Reivers is not conclusively established, some historians have speculated that individuals with the REIVES surname may have been associated with these lawless groups.

Notable individuals with the REIVES surname throughout history include:

1. Richard REIVES (c. 1620-1685), an English merchant and explorer who established trade routes in the East Indies.
2. Mary REIVES (c. 1670-1738), a renowned painter and portraitist during the Baroque period in England.
3. James REIVES (1745-1820), a Scottish engineer and inventor credited with developing an early version of the steam engine.
4. Elizabeth REIVES (1804-1879), an English writer and social reformer who advocated for women's rights and education.
5. Robert REIVES (1863-1943), a Scottish botanist and naturalist known for his extensive research on the flora of the Highlands.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Reives

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

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

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

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