Explore the Family Name Reefer
The meaning of Reefer
Possibly a derivative of North German Reef ‘rope’, denoting a ropemaker.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Reefer in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Reefer has seen a decline between the 2000 and 2010 census periods. In 2000, it ranked as the 62,961st most popular surname in the US, but fell to the 76,768th slot by 2010 — a fall of nearly 22%. The number of individuals carrying this surname also decreased, with the count dropping from 297 to 250 during this period, indicating a decrease of approximately 16%. The proportion per 100k population also dropped by over 27%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #62,961 | #76,768 | -21.93% |
| Count | 297 | 250 | -15.82% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.11 | 0.08 | -27.27% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Reefer
The Decennial U.S. Census data also provides insight into the ethnic identity associated with the surname Reefer. Between 2000 and 2010, there was a slight shift in the percentages of certain ethnic groups bearing this name. While those who identified as White saw a small decline of around 5%, from 73.74% to 70%, the Black ethnicity group saw an increase of about 26%, from 17.17% to 21.60%. Additionally, those identifying as Hispanic saw a minor increase from 7.74% to 8%. No changes were observed for those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 73.74% | 70% | -5.07% |
| Black | 17.17% | 21.6% | 25.8% |
| Hispanic | 7.74% | 8% | 3.36% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |