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

Reys, 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 Reys surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Reys in America

Reys is the 64891st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Reys surname appeared 306 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 Reys.

We can also compare 2010 data for Reys 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 Reys

The surname REYS is believed to have originated in Spain during the Medieval period, derived from the Spanish word "rey" meaning "king." This surname may have been initially bestowed upon individuals who worked in service to royalty or held positions of authority within the royal court.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the REYS surname can be traced back to the 13th century in the region of Castile, Spain. It is possible that the name was first adopted by families residing near or associated with the royal palace or castle, known as the "rey's" residence.

In the 14th century, a notable figure bearing the REYS surname was Juan Reys, a Spanish nobleman and diplomat who served as an ambassador to the court of King Edward III of England in the year 1348. His diplomatic efforts played a crucial role in strengthening the alliance between Spain and England during that period.

During the 15th century, the REYS surname gained prominence in the city of Seville, where a family of wealthy merchants and landowners bearing this name established themselves. One notable member of this family was Diego Reys, born in 1472, who was a prominent figure in the city's trade and commerce.

In the 16th century, the REYS surname also appeared in various records and manuscripts from the Spanish colonies in the Americas. One such figure was Francisco Reys, a Spanish explorer and conquistador who participated in the conquest of Mexico alongside Hernán Cortés in the early 1500s.

Throughout the centuries, the REYS surname has undergone various spelling variations, including Reyes, Reys, Reis, and Reiz, reflecting regional and linguistic differences within Spain and its territories.

Other notable individuals bearing the REYS surname include:

1. Alonso Reys (1530-1598), a Spanish architect and engineer who designed several notable buildings in Seville during the Spanish Renaissance.
2. María Reys (1568-1642), a Spanish writer and poet known for her contributions to the Golden Age of Spanish literature.
3. Pedro Reys (1635-1701), a Spanish painter and engraver renowned for his religious artwork and portraits.
4. Juana Reys (1720-1795), a Spanish philanthropist and advocate for women's education who founded several schools in Madrid.
5. Miguel Reys (1845-1912), a Spanish politician and diplomat who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Spain in the late 19th century.

While the REYS surname has its roots in Spain, it has since spread to various parts of the world, particularly to Latin American countries, due to Spanish colonization and migration patterns.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Reys

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!