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

Reuter, 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 Reuter surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Reuter in America

Reuter is the 4644th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Reuter surname appeared 7,643 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Reuter.

We can also compare 2010 data for Reuter 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 Reuter

The surname Reuter is of German origin, derived from the word "Ritter," meaning "knight" or "rider." It first emerged in the Middle Ages, likely between the 12th and 14th centuries, when surnames were gradually adopted across Europe.

Reuter was initially used as an occupational surname, referring to individuals who were employed as messengers or couriers on horseback. This profession was crucial in those times, as it facilitated communication and the transfer of information across distances.

The earliest known records of the name Reuter can be traced back to the German states of Bavaria and Saxony. In the 15th century, a document from the city of Leipzig mentions a certain "Hans Reuter," indicating the presence of this surname in the region.

One notable historical figure bearing the name Reuter was Friedrich Reuter (1805-1874), a German writer and politician. He was a leading figure in the democratic movement of the 19th century and played an instrumental role in the Revolution of 1848.

Another prominent individual was Paul Reuter (1816-1899), a German-born entrepreneur who founded the news agency Reuter (now Reuters) in 1851. His innovative approach to gathering and disseminating news on a global scale revolutionized the journalism industry.

In the 16th century, the spelling variation "Reutter" appeared in some regions of Germany, particularly in the state of Baden-Württemberg. This variant likely stemmed from local pronunciation differences.

Ernst Reuter (1889-1953) was a German politician and the governing mayor of West Berlin during the tense years of the Berlin Blockade and the early stages of the Cold War. His unwavering leadership and commitment to democratic values earned him widespread respect.

The name Reuter also found its way to other parts of Europe, including the Netherlands, where it took the form "Ruiter" or "Reijter." This variation reflected the Dutch pronunciation and spelling conventions.

In the late 18th century, Johann Reuter (1761-1829), a German-born botanist and explorer, made significant contributions to the study of flora in the Cape Colony (present-day South Africa). His extensive fieldwork and collections expanded scientific knowledge of the region's plant life.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Reuter

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

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

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

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