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

Reid Family History

Reid Name Meaning

Scottish: variant of Reed of which Reid is the common modern Scots spelling.

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


Similar surnames: Read, Reis, Reil, Reidt, Rein, Heid, Eid, Red, Feld, Redd

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 Reid family from?

You can see how Reid families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Reid family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Reid families were found in and Scotland in 1841. In 1911 there were 4,234 Reid families living in Ontario. This was about 54% of all the recorded Reid's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Reid families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Reid surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Reid ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Reid. 34% of Reid men worked as a Farmer and 12% of Reid women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Reid were Clerk and Income. .

View Census Data for Reid | 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
    34%
  • Labourer
    8%
  • Laborer
    4%
  • Clerk
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Stenographer
    12%
  • Housekeeper
    11%
  • Clerk
    7%
  • Income
    7%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Reid family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 973,000 census records available for the last name Reid. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Reid census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Reid

Passenger Lists

There are 196,000 immigration records available for the last name Reid. 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 Reid immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 133,000 military records available for the last name Reid. For the veterans among your Reid ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Reid military records

You've only scratched the surface of Reid family history

Discover More

What is the average Reid lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Reid life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1943, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Reid in 1941 was 40, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Reid

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Reid family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Reid last name

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