History of your Surname
Get access to Reeve family records.Start a free trial

Reeve Family History

Reeve Name Meaning

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. Irish: variant of Reeves 5.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Reeves, Reese, Revere, Cleve, Beese, Reeder, Reaver, Reef, Shreeve

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Reeve family from?

You can see how Reeve families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Reeve family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Reeve families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 147 Reeve families living in Ontario. This was about 61% of all the recorded Reeve's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Reeve families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Reeve surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Reeve ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Saleslady were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Reeve. 32% of Reeve men worked as a Farmer and 38% of Reeve women worked as a Saleslady. Some less common occupations for Americans named Reeve were Painter and Income. .

View Census Data for Reeve | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1921

  • Farmer
    32%
  • Labourer
    8%
  • Farmers Son
    7%
  • Painter
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Saleslady
    38%
  • Clerk
    38%
  • Income
    25%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Reeve family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 187,000 census records available for the last name Reeve. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Reeve census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Reeve

Passenger Lists

There are 14,000 immigration records available for the last name Reeve. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Reeve immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 16,000 military records available for the last name Reeve. For the veterans among your Reeve ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Reeve military records

You've only scratched the surface of Reeve family history

Discover More

What is the average Reeve lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Reeve life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1948, and highest in 1996. The average life expectancy for Reeve in 1942 was 69, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Reeve

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Reeve family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Reeve last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial