NameCensus.

UK surname

Reyes

A Spanish surname meaning "kings," referring to a person who served in the royal court or had royal ancestry.

In the 1881 census there were 2 people recorded with the Reyes surname, ranking it #33,721 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 905, ranked #6,280, up from #33,721 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Westminster, Spelthorne and Brent.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Reyes is 905 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 45150.0%.

1881 census count

2

Ranked #33,721

Modern count

905

2016, ranked #6,280

Peak year

2016

905 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Reyes had 2 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #33,721 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 905 in 2016, ranked #6,280.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 33 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Young Families.

Reyes surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Reyes surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Reyes 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 8 #31,867
1861 historical 32 #29,944
1881 historical 2 #33,721
1891 historical 16 #32,868
1901 historical 13 #32,633
1911 historical 33 #29,703
1997 modern 229 #16,168
1998 modern 238 #16,218
1999 modern 257 #15,506
2000 modern 265 #15,143
2001 modern 271 #14,691
2002 modern 292 #14,236
2003 modern 326 #13,076
2004 modern 355 #12,326
2005 modern 372 #11,813
2006 modern 428 #10,659
2007 modern 474 #9,948
2008 modern 523 #9,316
2009 modern 606 #8,535
2010 modern 706 #7,735
2011 modern 689 #7,782
2012 modern 753 #7,198
2013 modern 820 #6,801
2014 modern 854 #6,633
2015 modern 871 #6,474
2016 modern 905 #6,280

Geography

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Where Reyes' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Westminster, Spelthorne, Brent, Haringey and Sutton. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Westminster 014 Westminster
2 Spelthorne 002 Spelthorne
3 Brent 027 Brent
4 Haringey 015 Haringey
5 Sutton 005 Sutton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Reyes

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Reyes

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Reyes, 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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Ethnically Diverse Young Families

Nationally, the Reyes surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Young Families, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Reyes household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group includes many younger parents born overseas (particularly in Africa or EU countries) with children aged 0-4. Individuals identifying as of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities are also common. English may not be the primary language spoken. Accommodation consists principally of flats, and many properties are socially rented and/or overcrowded. Students are also present, unemployment is common, and other adults tend to work in low skilled jobs.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Reyes is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Reyes is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

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

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Reyes falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Reyes is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Reyes

The surname Reyes originated from the Spanish language and has its roots in the Iberian Peninsula, particularly in Spain and Portugal. It traces its origins back to the medieval era, around the 8th to 15th centuries.

The name Reyes is derived from the Spanish word "rey," which means "king." This suggests that the surname may have been associated with individuals who had some connection to royalty or the royal court during those times. It could have been given to those who served the king directly or were bestowed titles or lands by the monarchy.

Historically, the name Reyes has been documented in various records and manuscripts from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance period. One notable example is the appearance of the name in the Libro de las Behetrías, a 14th-century Castilian manuscript that recorded the rights and privileges of certain towns and villages in the Kingdom of Castile.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Reyes dates back to the 13th century, with a nobleman named Rodrigo Reyes, who served as a knight under King Alfonso X of Castile (1221-1284). Another early record is that of Juan Reyes, a prominent explorer and navigator from Seville, who accompanied Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the Americas in 1493.

Throughout history, the Reyes surname has been associated with various place names and older spellings. For example, the town of Reyes in the province of Seville, Spain, likely derived its name from individuals bearing the Reyes surname who settled there or held lands in the area.

Famous individuals with the surname Reyes include:

1. Antonio de Reyes (1663-1738), a Spanish painter known for his religious works and portraits. 2. Rafael Reyes (1849-1923), a Colombian politician and military officer who served as the 16th President of Colombia from 1904 to 1909. 3. Alonso de Reyes (fl. 1585-1617), a Spanish composer and music theorist during the Renaissance period. 4. Bernardo de los Reyes (1530-1612), a Spanish Franciscan friar and missionary who helped establish the first Catholic mission in Japan. 5. Alfonso Reyes (1889-1959), a Mexican writer, philosopher, and diplomat who served as the Mexican ambassador to various countries.

While the surname Reyes has its origins in the Iberian Peninsula, it has since spread to various parts of the world, particularly to Latin American countries, due to Spanish colonization and migration patterns over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Reyes families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Reyes 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. Cheshire leads with 1 Reyes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.47x.

County Total Index
Cheshire 1 23.47x
Lancashire 1 4.37x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birkenhead in Cheshire leads with 1 Reyes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 294.12x.

Place Total Index
Birkenhead 1 294.12x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 555.56x

Top male names

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

Name Count
Jose 1
Juan 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Reyes households.

Occupation Count
Fogonero 1
Saloon Steward 1

FAQ

Reyes surname: questions and answers

How common was the Reyes surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2 people were recorded with the Reyes surname. That placed it at #33,721 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Reyes surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 905 in 2016. That gives Reyes a modern rank of #6,280.

What does the Reyes surname mean?

A Spanish surname meaning "kings," referring to a person who served in the royal court or had royal ancestry.

What does the Reyes map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Reyes 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.