The Reece surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 24,145 people carried this name — #1,479 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 12,200 people counted. That is up 4% from 23,216 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Reece surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a baptismal name, from a given name: ‘the son of Rhys’.

His entry covers Rees, Reese and Reece.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 641 · public domain.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Reece was found among the farmers of 3 counties.

It was most frequent in Monmouthshire: 60 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 167. Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Monmouthshire 60
Herefordshire 12
Shropshire 12

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In print

Reece in American newspapers,
1929.

Newspaper page from Watauga Democrat carrying the name Reece
Watauga Democrat 1929-01-10
Newspaper page from Watauga Democrat carrying the name Reece
Watauga Democrat 1929-01-31
Newspaper page from Watauga Democrat carrying the name Reece
Watauga Democrat 1929-01-17

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 48,268 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Reece in Australian newspapers,
1830s–2000s.

29,263 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Reece. The most, 9,420, date from the 1950s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in Tasmania, at 7.8 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Tasmania 12,439
New South Wales 6,501
Victoria 3,512
Queensland 2,652
South Australia 2,436
Western Australia 1,069
ACT (Canberra) 587
Northern Territory 17

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Reece.

Who carried it

People named Reece,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Richard Reece
    Richard Reece 1775–1831 · physician
  • William Reece
    William Reece 1856–1930 · local politician
  • Jane Reece
    Jane Reece 1868–1961 · photographer
  • B. Carroll Reece
    B. Carroll Reece 1889–1961 · politician
  • Louise Goff Reece
    Louise Goff Reece 1898–1970 · politician

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped — Richard Reece: unknown author, CC BY 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0); the others are in the public domain or CC0 · 105 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Reece,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States1,481 records

1,481 records of the Reece name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 811
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 288
  • Other U.S. records 382
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Paul O. Reece

    Born 1921 in North Carolina. Enlisted 1943 at Camp Croft, South Carolina; paper mill worker. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1996, buried at Carrs Hill Baptist Church Cemetery, North Carolina.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Peter Edward Reece

    Born 1949; from Easton, Pennsylvania. U.S. Army, radio operator; killed in action 1969 in Quang Tin, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Elizabeth Reece

    Arrived at New York in 1853 aboard the Universe from Liverpool, aged 29; housekeeper. From England.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 1,481 records for Reece in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia554 records

554 records of the Reece name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 259
  • Tasmanian Names Index 155
  • Other Australian records 140
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Thomas Reece

    Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1851. Married 1851 in Westbury, Tasmania, aged 39.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Ellen Reece

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the John Renwick, arriving 1838; ticket of leave 1848.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record John Reece

    Arrived in Victoria in 1859 aboard the Greyhound, aged 26; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 554 records for Reece in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · City of Ballarat, Avenue of Honour Plaques (CC BY 3.0 AU). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada112 records

112 records of the Reece name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 52
  • City of Niagara Falls (Ontario) cemetery records 26
  • Other Canadian records 34
  1. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record Samuel Reece

    Served in the No. 2 Construction Battalion in the First World War, corporal; of Truro, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Jas Reece

    Came to Ontario in 1870 aboard the Nestorian, landing at Quebec, bound for London, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record James Reece

    Buried in 1943 at Fairview Cemetery, Niagara Falls, Ontario.

    City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls.

Showing 3 of 112 records for Reece in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

New Zealand36 records

36 records of the Reece name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 30
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 4
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Albert Jack Reece

    Died 1966, aged 39; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Henry John Reece

    Buried in 1958 at Totara Memorial Park Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 93.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Edward George Reece

    Buried in 1925 at Seddon Cemetery, Marlborough, aged 77.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 36 records for Reece in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

United Kingdom20 records

20 records of the Reece name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 11
  • Welsh wills index cards 6
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 3
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Ada Maria Reece

    Will proved in 1939; of Llandudno, Carnarvon.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Charlotte Reece

    Buried in 1809 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 28.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record E. Reece

    Welsh Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 20 records for Reece in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

France2 records

2 records of the Reece name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Roger Keith Reece

    Born 1955 in Worcester UK (Angleterre); died 2000 in Chessy (Seine-et-Marne).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Donna Ann Reece

    Born 1974 in Georgetown (Guyana); died 2000 in Les Abymes (Guadeloupe).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Netherlands1 record

1 record of the Reece name in the Netherlands Dutch population registers
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Percy Cecil Reece

    In the population register of 's-Gravenhage; born 1889 in Greet-Jaimouth.

    Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Reece.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Reece is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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