Reeve History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms 

Origins Available: 
  England 
  Ireland 


The origins of the Reeve surname lie with the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name Reeve began when someone in that family worked as a local representative of a lord, a reeve, sheriff, steward or bailiff. 1 2 The surname Reeve was originally derived from the Old English (ge)refa which referred to a representative. 3 The name is "an official appointed by the lord of the manor to supervise his tenants' work." 4

Early Origins of the Reeve family

The surname Reeve was first found in Leicestershire where Walter and James le Reve were listed in 1220. John atte Reuese was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327. The plural form of the name which is actually most common today dates back to 1332 when Richard del Reves was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Lancashire in 1332. 3

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included: Sampson le Reve, Suffolk; and John le Reve, Cambridgeshire. 5

In Somerset, William le Reve, John le Reveson, and William le Reveson were listed there 1 Edward III (during the first year of the reign of King Edward III.) 6

Early History of the Reeve family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Reeve research. Another 124 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1585, 1594, 1608, 1611, 1618, 1638, 1647, 1658, 1660, 1662, 1667, 1672, 1673, 1678, 1686, 1726, 1729, 1737, 1818, 1861, 1865 and 1900 are included under the topic Early Reeve History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Reeve Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Reeve has appeared include Reeve, Reve, Reave, Reaves, Reeves and others.

Early Notables of the Reeve family

Distinguished members of the family include

Reeve World Ranking

In the United States, the name Reeve is the 4,795th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 7 However, in New Zealand, the name Reeve is ranked the 640th most popular surname with an estimated 1,122 people with that name. 8 And in the United Kingdom, the name Reeve is the 635th popular surname with an estimated 10,404 people with that name. 9

Migration of the Reeve family to Ireland

Some of the Reeve family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 196 words (14 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Reeve migration to the United States +

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Reeve arrived in North America very early:

Reeve Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
Reeve Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Reeve Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Reeve migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Reeve Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Reeve migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Reeve Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Reeve migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Reeve Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Reeve migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 17
Reeve Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Contemporary Notables of the name Reeve (post 1700) +


The Reeve Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Animum rege
Motto Translation: Rule thy mind.
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