Rey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
From the historical and enchanting region of Spain emerged a multitude of noble families, including the distinguished Rey family. The Rey surname is derived from the Latin "regis, " meaning "royal." The Spanish word "rey" means "king," while "reina" means "queen." Bearing this name does not necessarily imply royal ancestry however; as, when surnames first began to be used in Medieval Spain, nicknames were often taken on as surnames.
Early Origins of the Rey family
The surname Rey was first found in Castile, an important Christian kingdom of medieval Spain.
Early History of the Rey family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rey research. Another 105 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1204, 1652, 1676 and 1892 are included under the topic Early Rey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Rey Spelling Variations
Spelling variations of this family name include: Reyes, Rey, de Reyes, de los Reyes, del Rey, Reina, de la Reina, de Reina, Reinoso, de Reinoso, Reynoso, de Reynoso, Reinosa, de Reinosa, Reynosa, de Reynosa, Real, de Real and many more.
Early Notables of the Rey family
Prominent among members of the family
- seventeenth century Spanish poet and playwright Andrés Rey de Artieda
- Juan de los Reyes (c1652 - 1676), a Spanish priest and was among the protomartyrs of Guam
Rey World Ranking
In the United States, the name Rey is the 4,744th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 1 However, in France, the name Rey is ranked the 112nd most popular surname with an estimated 25,368 people with that name. 2 And in South America, the name Rey is the 47th popular surname with an estimated 88 people with that name. 3
Rey migration to the United States +
Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Rey Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
- Jaques Dela Rey, who landed in Virginia in 1635 4
- Peter Rey, who landed in Virginia in 1637 4
- Eliz Rey, who landed in Virginia in 1650 4
- Everard Rey, who arrived in Virginia in 1653 4
- Hugh Rey, who arrived in Virginia in 1654 4
Rey Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
- Claude Rey, aged 40, who arrived in Louisiana in 1720 4
- Jurigh Mickel Rey, aged 22, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1732 4
- John Andrew Rey, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1765 4
Rey Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- Agustin Rey, who landed in Puerto Rico in 1816 4
- Luis Rey, who arrived in Puerto Rico in 1816 4
- George Rey, aged 68, who arrived in Mobile, Ala in 1832 4
- Teresia Rey, aged 24, who arrived in Mobile, Ala in 1832 4
- Tu Rey, aged 10, who landed in Mobile, Ala in 1832 4
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Contemporary Notables of the name Rey (post 1700) +
- Wager Rey, American politician, U.S. Consular Agent in Anguilla, 1884 5
- Nicholas Andrew Rey (1938-2009), American politician, U.S. Ambassador to Poland, 1993-97 5
- Lilli J. Rey, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from California, 2008 5
- Joseph A. Rey, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate in primary for Michigan State Senate 5th District, 1954 5
- Alain Rey (1928-2020), French linguist, lexicographer and radio personality
- Carmela Rey (1931-2018), stage name of Carmen Sánchez Levi, Mexican singer and actress
- Louis Emmanuel Rey, French Divisional General during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars from 1789 to 1815 6
- Jean-Pierre-Antoine Rey, French Brigadier General during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars from 1789 to 1815 7
- Jean-André Rey, French Brigadier General during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars from 1789 to 1815 8
- Guillaume Rey, French Brigadier General during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars from 1789 to 1815 9
- ... (Another 8 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Citations +
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
- "List of most common surnames in South America." Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_most_common_surnames_in_South_America
- Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 10) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
- Generals Who Served in the French Army during the Period 1789-1815. (Retrieved 2015, August 27) Louis Rey. Retrieved from http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/c_frenchgenerals.html
- Generals Who Served in the French Army during the Period 1789-1815. (Retrieved 2015, August 27) Jean-Pierre-Antoine Rey. Retrieved from http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/c_frenchgenerals.html
- Generals Who Served in the French Army during the Period 1789-1815. (Retrieved 2015, August 27) Jean-André Rey. Retrieved from http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/c_frenchgenerals.html
- Generals Who Served in the French Army during the Period 1789-1815. (Retrieved 2015, August 27) Guillaume Rey. Retrieved from http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/c_frenchgenerals.html