NameCensus.

UK surname

Reese

A Welsh surname derived from the given name Rhys, meaning "ardor, enthusiasm" in Welsh.

In the 1881 census there were 709 people recorded with the Reese surname, ranking it #5,124 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 594, ranked #8,788, down from #5,124 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Tref-Eglwys and Trevethin with Pontypool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wrexham, Monmouthshire and Darlington.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Reese is 752 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 16.2%.

1881 census count

709

Ranked #5,124

Modern count

594

2016, ranked #8,788

Peak year

1891

752 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Reese had 709 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,124 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 594 in 2016, ranked #8,788.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 752 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Reese surname distribution map

The map shows where the Reese surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Reese surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Reese over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 568 #4,481
1861 historical 529 #4,961
1881 historical 709 #5,124
1891 historical 752 #5,296
1901 historical 628 #6,820
1911 historical 578 #7,032
1997 modern 521 #9,026
1998 modern 521 #9,296
1999 modern 525 #9,307
2000 modern 528 #9,251
2001 modern 521 #9,174
2002 modern 505 #9,563
2003 modern 505 #9,419
2004 modern 505 #9,453
2005 modern 492 #9,553
2006 modern 500 #9,490
2007 modern 502 #9,538
2008 modern 505 #9,565
2009 modern 550 #9,169
2010 modern 562 #9,200
2011 modern 565 #9,087
2012 modern 569 #8,942
2013 modern 601 #8,741
2014 modern 612 #8,667
2015 modern 593 #8,806
2016 modern 594 #8,788

Geography

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Where Reeses are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Tref-Eglwys, Trevethin with Pontypool, Bedwelty and Kerry. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wrexham, Monmouthshire, Darlington and Herefordshire. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Tref-Eglwys Montgomeryshire
3 Trevethin with Pontypool Monmouthshire
4 Bedwelty Monmouthshire
5 Kerry Montgomeryshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wrexham 013 Wrexham
2 Monmouthshire 011 Monmouthshire
3 Darlington 009 Darlington
4 Darlington 012 Darlington
5 Herefordshire 007 Herefordshire, County of

Forenames

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First names often paired with Reese

These lists show first names that appear often with the Reese surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Reese

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Reese, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Reese surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Reese household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

City Support Workers

Within London, Reese is most associated with areas classed as City Support Workers, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Scattered throughout Inner London, these areas house relatively few workers in the most senior roles within organisations, and greater prevalence of administrative roles relative to the Supergroup mean. Residents are less likely to be of Chinese ethnicity and are more likely to have been born in Africa. Relative to the Supergroup average, residents are also more likely to live in social housing and live in overcrowded conditions.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Reese is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Reese falls in decile 5 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Reese is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Reese, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Reese

The surname Reese originated in Wales, deriving from the Old Welsh personal name "Rhys," which itself comes from the Welsh word "rhys" meaning "ardor" or "zeal." The name was particularly prevalent in the counties of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire in South Wales.

In the 13th century, the surname appeared in records as "Rees" and "Res." By the 15th century, the spelling had evolved to "Reese," which became the standard form. The name Reese is also found in some early English records, suggesting that Welsh settlers brought the name to England.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Rhys ap Gruffydd (c. 1132-1197), a Welsh prince and ruler of the kingdom of Deheubarth in South Wales. He was a prominent figure in the struggle against Norman English rule in Wales.

Another notable figure was Sir Rhys ap Thomas (c. 1449-1525), a Welsh soldier and landholder who played a significant role in the Wars of the Roses and helped secure the throne for Henry VII. He was rewarded with lands in Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire.

In the 17th century, the surname Reese was well-established in Wales, with several prominent families bearing the name. One such family was the Reeses of Margam Park in Glamorgan, a wealthy and influential family of landowners and industrialists.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, many Welsh families with the surname Reese emigrated to America, seeking economic opportunities and religious freedom. William Reese (1759-1836), a Welsh-American soldier, fought in the American Revolutionary War and later settled in Pennsylvania.

In the 20th century, the name Reese gained further recognition through several notable individuals, including Richard Reese (1889-1970), an American football player and coach, and Della Reese (1931-2017), an American singer, actress, and ordained minister.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Reese families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Reese surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Montgomeryshire leads with 154 Reeses recorded in 1881 and an index of 98.14x.

County Total Index
Montgomeryshire 154 98.14x
Monmouthshire 71 14.34x
Lancashire 61 0.75x
Middlesex 50 0.73x
Shropshire 41 6.93x
Glamorgan 39 3.27x
Radnorshire 38 68.78x
Surrey 24 0.72x
Staffordshire 18 0.78x
Warwickshire 18 1.04x
Cheshire 17 1.12x
Gloucestershire 16 1.19x
Kent 15 0.64x
Somerset 13 1.18x
Denbighshire 12 4.64x
Merionethshire 12 9.58x
Worcestershire 12 1.34x
Yorkshire 11 0.16x
Brecknockshire 10 7.30x
Pembrokeshire 9 4.14x
Cardiganshire 8 4.79x
Buckinghamshire 7 1.69x
Durham 7 0.34x
Essex 7 0.52x
Devon 5 0.35x
Herefordshire 4 1.42x
Derbyshire 3 0.28x
Northamptonshire 3 0.47x
Sussex 3 0.26x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.46x
Hertfordshire 2 0.42x
Berkshire 1 0.19x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.36x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.35x
Flintshire 1 0.54x
Hampshire 1 0.07x
Lincolnshire 1 0.09x
Norfolk 1 0.10x
Northumberland 1 0.10x
Oxfordshire 1 0.24x
Wiltshire 1 0.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bedwellty in Monmouthshire leads with 35 Reeses recorded in 1881 and an index of 40.05x.

Place Total Index
Bedwellty 35 40.05x
Newtown 26 259.22x
Llanfihangel Beguildy 25 1072.96x
Llandinam 16 440.77x
Kerry 14 296.61x
Llandaff 13 32.77x
Swansea Town 13 13.30x
Berriew 11 254.04x
Knowle 11 309.86x
Llanbrynmair 11 296.50x
Clun 10 238.10x
Llanllwchaiarn 10 147.06x
Pool 10 84.53x
Stoke Upon Trent 10 4.08x
Brecknock St John 9 77.92x
Everton 9 3.48x
Talyllyn 9 183.67x
Machynlleth 8 141.09x
Manchester 8 2.19x
Pontesbury 8 111.11x
Trevethin 8 17.11x
Carno 7 339.81x
Keynsham 7 88.38x
Lambeth 7 1.17x
Little Bolton 7 6.70x
Liverpool 7 1.42x
Llanfair Caereinion 7 130.60x
Monks Risborough 7 351.76x
Penegoes 7 301.72x
Shoreditch London 7 2.36x
Aberystruth 6 13.75x
Aberystwith 6 41.72x
Clifton 6 8.84x
Dover St Mary Virgin 6 26.54x
Hadnall 6 483.87x
Kinnerley 6 212.77x
Llangyniew 6 521.74x
Newton In Makerfield 6 24.12x
Poplar London 6 4.64x
Salford 6 2.51x
Southwark Christchurch 6 18.70x
St George In East 6 12.88x
St Marylebone London 6 1.64x
Whitechapel London 6 8.89x
Birkenhead 5 4.15x
Hollingworth 5 80.26x
Royton 5 20.11x
Ruabon 5 14.06x
Tenbury 5 102.04x
Aberhafesp 4 400.00x
Bettws 4 298.51x
Birmingham 4 0.70x
Camberwell 4 0.91x
Deptford St Paul 4 2.22x
Kirkdale 4 2.93x
Llananno 4 579.71x
Llangurig 4 106.10x
Llanidloes 4 34.39x
Llanmartin 4 975.61x
Newport 4 16.93x
Pembroke St Mary 4 14.28x
Stapleton 4 15.70x
Stockton On Tees 4 4.07x
Takeley 4 207.25x
Aston 3 0.63x
Cardiff St Mary 3 4.57x
Disserth Trecoed 3 250.00x
Gresford Gwersyllt 3 37.41x
Headingley Cum Burley 3 6.87x
Kidderminster Borough 3 5.73x
Leckwith 3 106.76x
Middlesbrough 3 3.40x
Nolton 3 833.33x
Northam 3 28.87x
Ross 3 26.86x
Snaith Cowick 3 73.89x
Southwark St Saviour 3 8.53x
Sunbury 3 36.45x
Whitton 3 789.47x
Worsley 3 5.99x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Reese surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 50
Elizabeth 36
Sarah 28
Jane 20
Ann 19
Margaret 16
Eliza 12
Emma 11
Anne 10
Annie 9
Hannah 9
Ellen 7
Alice 5
Caroline 5
Charlotte 4
Edith 4
Emily 4
Kate 4
Martha 4
Susan 4
Agnes 3
Catherine 3
Esther 3
Fanny 3
Frances 3
Margret 3
Maria 3
Eleanor 2
Florence 2
Harriet 2
Helen 2
Julia 2
Louisa 2
Louisia 2
Lucy 2
Margt. 2
Rose 2
Rosena 2
Anna 1
Cecilia 1
Clara 1
Elizth. 1
Elva 1
Elwina 1
Ester 1
Ida 1
Jenet 1
Jennet 1
Jessia 1
Willhelmina 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Reese surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 71
Thomas 43
William 32
George 19
Edward 16
David 14
Evan 12
James 12
Richard 9
Samuel 7
Alfred 5
Charles 4
Daniel 4
Henry 4
Joseph 4
Robert 4
Benjamin 3
Edwin 3
Jacob 3
Albert 2
Arthur 2
Edmund 2
Frederick 2
Fredk. 2
G.T. 2
Herbert 2
Hugh 2
Job 2
Lewis 2
Price 2
Solomon 2
Stephen 2
Willm. 2
Andrew 1
E.D.F. 1
Evans 1
Frank 1
Fred. 1
Frederick.H. 1
Fredrick 1
Griffiths 1
Humphrey 1
Hy.Herbert 1
Isac 1
J.Alfred.D. 1
Jas. 1
Jenkins 1
Jesse 1
Jno. 1
Wm.Tamplin 1

FAQ

Reese surname: questions and answers

How common was the Reese surname in 1881?

In 1881, 709 people were recorded with the Reese surname. That placed it at #5,124 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Reese surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 594 in 2016. That gives Reese a modern rank of #8,788.

What does the Reese surname mean?

A Welsh surname derived from the given name Rhys, meaning "ardor, enthusiasm" in Welsh.

What does the Reese map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Reese bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.