Explore the Family Name Rey
The meaning of Rey
1. Spanish, Galician, and French (Occitan): from Spanish and Old French rey ‘king’ (from Latin rex, genitive regis), which may have denoted someone in the service of a king, or it may have been from the title of someone in a brotherhood or a nickname for someone who behaved in a regal fashion or who had earned the title in some contest of skill or by presiding over festivities. Compare Del Rey and Galician Rei. 2. English (Somerset): variant of Ray. 3. German: from a short form of an ancient Germanic personal name formed with ragin ‘counsel’. 4. German: nickname for a leader of dancing or singing, from Middle Low German rei(e) ‘(line) dance, (satirical) song’. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Manuel, Jose, Luis, Juan, Alfredo, Roberto, Alfonso, Angel, Eduardo, Jesus, Mariano, Carlos.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Rey in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Rey has seen a slight rise in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, Rey was ranked as the 4450th most popular surname, but by 2010 it had climbed to 4403rd place, marking a 1.06% increase in popularity. The number of people with this surname also rose over the decade, with a count of 7348 in 2000 and 8074 in 2010 – an almost 10% increase. Consequently, the proportion of people named Rey per 100,000 also increased slightly, from 2.72 in 2000 to 2.74 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #4,450 | #4,403 | 1.06% |
| Count | 7,348 | 8,074 | 9.88% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2.72 | 2.74 | 0.74% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Rey
The census data also provides insight into the ethnic identity associated with the surname Rey. The percentage of individuals identified as Asian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic with the surname Rey increased between 2000 and 2010, by 16.71% and 12.43% respectively. However, there was a decrease in the proportion of individuals identifying as White, Black, and American Indian and Alaskan Native carrying the surname Rey during this time. The largest decrease was observed among those identifying as White, with a drop of 17.3%. Those identifying as Black and American Indian and Alaskan Native with the surname Rey decreased by 17.9% and 11.27%, respectively. The proportion of individuals identifying as Two or more races also decreased slightly, by 8.4%. This data suggests shifts in the ethnic identities associated with the surname Rey over the decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 53.72% | 60.4% | 12.43% |
| White | 35.55% | 29.4% | -17.3% |
| Black | 5.25% | 4.31% | -17.9% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 3.47% | 4.05% | 16.71% |
| Two or More Races | 1.31% | 1.2% | -8.4% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.71% | 0.63% | -11.27% |
Rey 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 Rey is Spanish & Portuguese, which comprises 37.0% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (17.1%) and French & German (16.4%). Additional ancestries include Indigenous American, Italian, Eastern European, Filipino & Austronesian, and Ashkenazi Jewish.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Spanish & Portuguese | 37.0% |
| British & Irish | 17.1% |
| French & German | 16.4% |
| Other | 29.4% |
Possible origins of the surname Rey
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 Rey have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 34.70% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 34.70% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 34.70% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 34.30% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 34.30% |
What Rey 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 Rey is R-P311, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-P311 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include J-L70 and R-CTS241, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Blanco, Silva, Alvarez, Santos, Toledo, Fernandez, Diaz, Pinto, Almeida, Pimentel.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Rey surname are: A2, H1, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to some of the first Americans
Though the Ice Age was beginning to retreat when your A2 ancestors first entered North America, there were still massive barriers blocking their way. Glaciers and inhospitable climate covered much of the continent, blocking entry into the interior. Nonetheless, researchers have found evidence that a wave of American founders migrated over 13,000 kilometers to reach southern Chile in only 2,000 years, a blink of an eye in the story of human migration! Their highway to the south was the coast of the Pacific, stocked with fish, diverse marine mammals, and other valuable resources in the rich kelp forests of the upper latitudes and in the abundant fresh-water rivers near the equator. Because of this rapid movement south, the A2 haplogroup and its diverse branches are found throughout North and South America.
What do people with the surname Rey 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.
"Rey" Surname 38.3%
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.
"Rey" Surname 40.5%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Rey" Surname 16.5%
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.
"Rey" Surname 11.6%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Rey?
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 Rey are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition