Explore the Family Name Reek
The meaning of Reek
1. English (Nottinghamshire): usually a variant of Rick (a clipped form of Rickard) but in rare instances perhaps a topographic name for someone who lived near a heap or rick of some kind, from Middle English rek(e) ‘stack, heap, rick’. 2. German: from a shortened form of Radeke, a pet form of an ancient Germanic personal name formed with rād ‘advice, counsel’. 3. German: variant of Reeck. 4. Dutch (also Van Reek): habitational name for someone from Reek in North Brabant.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Reek in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Reek has seen a decline between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Reek ranked 47,939 in terms of popularity, but by 2010 it had dropped to 57,516, representing a decrease of almost 20%. The actual count of people with this last name also decreased from 415 in 2000 to 354 in 2010, marking a reduction of about 14.7%. Consequently, the proportion of individuals named Reek per 100,000 people fell by 20%, moving from 0.15 in 2000 to 0.12 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #47,939 | #57,516 | -19.98% |
| Count | 415 | 354 | -14.7% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.15 | 0.12 | -20% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Reek
Regarding the ethnicity of people bearing the Reek surname, the Decennial U.S. Census data indicates that the majority identified as White in both 2000 and 2010, although there was a slight decrease in this group - from 93.98% to 91.53%. Meanwhile, the percentage of those identifying as Hispanic increased substantially by 39.12%, rising from 3.86% in 2000 to 5.37% in 2010. The data also shows an emergence of individuals with the Reek surname identifying as Black in 2010, which wasn't the case in 2000. However, there were no reported changes for those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native, while the category of two or more races saw a decline from 1.2% in 2000 to nil in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 93.98% | 91.53% | -2.61% |
| Hispanic | 3.86% | 5.37% | 39.12% |
| Black | 0% | 1.41% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 1.2% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |