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

Reu, 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 Reu surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Reu in America

Reu is the 86981st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Reu surname appeared 214 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 Reu.

We can also compare 2010 data for Reu 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 Reu

The surname REU originated in Germany during the 12th century. It is derived from the Old German word "reuen," which means "to clear land for cultivation." The name was initially given to those who worked as farmers or landowners.

In the early 13th century, the name REU appeared in various historical records, such as the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae and the Bremisches Urkundenbuch. These documents mention individuals with the surname REU who were landowners or farmers in the regions of Saxony and Bremen.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname REU was Johannes Reu, a farmer who lived in the village of Eichenberg, Saxony, in the late 13th century. Another notable figure was Henricus Reu, a landowner from Bremen, who was mentioned in a document dated 1295.

During the 14th century, the name REU spread to other parts of Germany, including Bavaria and Swabia. In the 15th century, it began appearing in records from Switzerland and Austria as well.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname REU was Michael Reu (1492-1559), a German theologian and reformer who was a close associate of Martin Luther. He played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation and published several theological works.

Another notable figure was Johann Matthias Reu (1652-1719), a German jurist and legal scholar who served as a professor of law at the University of Leipzig. His writings on Roman law and legal philosophy were highly influential in his time.

In the 18th century, the surname REU gained prominence in the arts and sciences. Johann Friedrich Reu (1717-1787) was a German painter and engraver known for his landscapes and portraits, while Johann Georg Reu (1755-1830) was a respected botanist and naturalist who made significant contributions to the study of plant species in Germany.

The 19th century saw the surname REU spread beyond Germany to other parts of Europe and even to North America. One notable individual from this period was Hermann Reu (1835-1898), a German-American theologian and educator who served as a professor at the Evangelical Lutheran Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa, and published several works on church history and theology.

Throughout its history, the surname REU has been associated with various place names and geographical locations, such as Reulingen, Reudnitz, and Reuth, which were likely derived from the Old German word "reuten," meaning "to clear land."

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Reu

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

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

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

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