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

Rey, 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 Rey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rey in America

Rey is the 4403rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rey surname appeared 8,074 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 Rey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rey 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 Rey

The surname Rey originates from Spain and is derived from the Spanish word "rey," which means "king." It is believed to have originated during the Middle Ages when it was common for surnames to be derived from occupations or descriptive terms.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname Rey can be found in the 12th century Cartulario de San Cugat del Vallés, a collection of medieval documents from the Monastery of Sant Cugat in Catalonia, Spain. The name appears in several entries, suggesting that it was already in use during that time period.

In the 13th century, the surname Rey is found in the Libro de la Montería, a medieval hunting treatise commissioned by King Alfonso XI of Castile. The book mentions several individuals with the surname, including Juan Rey, who was a huntsman in the service of the king.

During the 14th century, the surname Rey gained prominence in various parts of Spain. One notable individual was Pero Rey, a Galician nobleman who served as a courtier to King Pedro I of Castile in the mid-1300s.

In the 15th century, the surname Rey is recorded in the Archivo General de Indias, a collection of documents related to the Spanish colonies in the Americas. One such entry mentions a certain Juan Rey, who was among the early settlers in Puerto Rico in the late 1400s.

Moving into the 16th century, the surname Rey is associated with several notable figures, including Pedro Rey, a Spanish explorer and navigator who accompanied Hernán Cortés on his expedition to Mexico in the 1520s.

Another notable individual with the surname Rey was Alonso Rey, a Spanish painter and sculptor who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He is best known for his religious works, which can be found in various churches and monasteries throughout Spain.

In the 18th century, the surname Rey was also present in the Spanish colonies in the Americas. One example is José Antonio Rey, a Venezuelan military leader who played a significant role in the Venezuelan War of Independence in the early 1800s.

Overall, the surname Rey has a rich history that spans several centuries and is deeply rooted in the Spanish culture and language. Its origins can be traced back to the Middle Ages, and it has been associated with various notable individuals throughout history, from noblemen and courtiers to artists and military leaders.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rey

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

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

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

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