Explore the Family Name Reeve
The meaning of Reeve
1. English (East Anglia): occupational name from Middle English reve, refe ‘reeve’ (Old English gerēfa). In medieval England a reeve was an official responsible for the administration of a manor, including organizing work done by the peasants on the land for their lord, collecting rents, selling produce, and so on. 2. Irish: variant of Reeves 5.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Reeve in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Reeve saw a slight decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Reeve ranked 5,922nd among all surnames in the United States but dropped to 6,312th by 2010, representing a change of -6.59%. While its ranking fell, the actual count of people bearing the surname Reeve showed a marginal increase from 5,352 in 2000 to 5,406 in 2010, indicating a growth of 1.01%. The proportion per 100,000 people also decreased from 1.98 in 2000 to 1.83 in 2010, a change of -7.58%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #5,922 | #6,312 | -6.59% |
| Count | 5,352 | 5,406 | 1.01% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.98 | 1.83 | -7.58% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Reeve
Discussing ethnicity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census indicates shifts in the ethnic identity associated with the surname Reeve. The largest change occurred within the Hispanic community, where the proportion of Reeves rose from 1.49% in 2000 to 2.70% in 2010, reflecting an 81.21% increase. The Asian/Pacific Islander community also saw significant growth of 46.88%, increasing from 0.64% in 2000 to 0.94% by 2010. However, there was a decrease in the Black community, falling from 1.78% in 2000 to 1.28% in 2010, showing a change of -28.09%. The American Indian and Alaskan Native segment experienced a modest increase of 16.42%. Despite these fluctuations, the majority of individuals with the Reeve surname identified as White, although this percentage did diminish slightly from 93.93% in 2000 to 92.36% in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 93.93% | 92.36% | -1.67% |
| Hispanic | 1.49% | 2.7% | 81.21% |
| Two or More Races | 1.49% | 1.94% | 30.2% |
| Black | 1.78% | 1.28% | -28.09% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.64% | 0.94% | 46.88% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.67% | 0.78% | 16.42% |
Reeve ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Reeve is British & Irish, which comprises 54.1% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (25.3%) and Eastern European (4.7%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Indigenous American, and Ashkenazi Jewish.
Ready to learn more about your ancestry? Get the most comprehensive ancestry breakdown on the market by taking our DNA test. Shop 23andMe
| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 54.1% |
| French & German | 25.3% |
| Eastern European | 4.7% |
| Other | 15.9% |
Possible origins of the surname Reeve
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Reeve have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 88.80% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 88.80% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 88.80% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 88.80% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 88.80% |
What Reeve haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Reeve is R-CTS4528, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS4528 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-DF98 and R-CTS241, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Curry, Matson, Sharp, Voss, Price, Watson, Merchant, Lowe, Shaw, Baines.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Reeve surname are: H1, H6a1, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Reeve have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Reeve" Surname 34.9%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Reeve" Surname 19.6%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Reeve" Surname 19.7%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Reeve" Surname 24.9%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Reeve?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Reeve are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition