Contents [hide]

Rees History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Sources

Rees History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
France
Wales

Etymology of Rees

What does the name Rees mean?

From the historical and enchanting region of France emerged a multitude of noble families, including the distinguished Rees family. Originally, the French people were known only by a single name. The process by which hereditary surnames were adopted in France is extremely interesting. Surnames evolved during the Middle Ages when people began to assume an extra name to avoid confusion and to further identify themselves. Often they adopted names that were derived from nicknames. Nickname surnames were derived from an eke-name, or added name. They usually reflected the physical characteristics or attributes of the first person that used the name. The name Rees is a nickname type of surname for a person of regal bearing or a person who played a king in a local festival. Looking back further, we find the name Rees was derived from the Old French word "roy," meaning "king."

Early Origins of the Rees family

The surname Rees was first found in Burgundy (French: Bourgogne), an administrative and historical region of east-central France, where the family has held a family seat since ancient times.

Early History of the Rees family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rees research. Another 148 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1098, 1306, 1330, 1470, 1533, 1570, 1583, 1645, 1726 and 1803 are included under the topic Early Rees History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rees Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Ray, Rays, Raie, Raies, Raye, Rayes, Rée, Rées, Rait, Rey, Reys, Rei, Reis, Duray, Leray, De Laray, Laray, du Ray, de Ray, Delurey and many more.

Early Notables of the Rees family

Another 49 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Rees Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rees World Ranking

the United States, the name Rees is the 2,949^th most popular surname with an estimated 9,948 people with that name. 1 However, in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Rees is ranked the 295^th most popular surname with an estimated 152 people with that name. 2 And in Australia, the name Rees is the 335^th popular surname with an estimated 10,675 people with that name. 3 New Zealand ranks Rees as 559^th with 1,263 people. 4 The United Kingdom ranks Rees as 153^rd with 34,223 people. 5

Rees migration to the United States +

Rees Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Thomas Rees, who settled in Virginia in 1623
Andries Rees, who landed in New York in 1664 6
Gwen Rees, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1678-1679 6
Ellin Rees, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1678-1679 6
Ellis Rees, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1678-1679 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Rees Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Hans Rees, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1754 6
Jacob Rees, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1760 6
Dietrick Rees, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1764 6
Johanes Rees, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1797 6
Catherina Rees, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1797 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Rees Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Johannes Rees, who landed in North America in 1832-1849 6
Elis Rees, who arrived in North America in 1832-1849 6
Conrad Rees, who landed in North America in 1832-1849 6
Johann Werner Rees, who landed in North America in 1832-1849 6
Jenkins Rees, aged 21, who landed in Baltimore, Maryland in 1838 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Rees migration to Canada +

Rees Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Capt. David Rees U.E. (b. 1738) born in Pennsylvania, USA who died before arriving inCanada c. 1780 married to Elizabeth Babb having 4 children 7

Rees migration to Australia +

Rees Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Miss Margaret Rees, British Convict who was convicted in Monmouth, Monmouthshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Experiment" on 4th December 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 8
Mr. David Rees, Welsh convict who was convicted in Pembroke, Pembrokeshire, Wales for 7 years, transported aboard the "Atlas" on 16th January 1816, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 9
Mr. Thomas Rees, British Convict who was convicted in London, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Countess of Harcourt" on 8th April 1821, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 10
Mr. James Rees, British Convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Earl St Vincent" on 20th April 1826, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 11
Mr. William Rees, (Griffiths, Rees, David), Welsh convict who was convicted in Carmarthen, Carmarthenshire, Wales for life, transported aboard the "Bussorah Merchant" on 1st October 1829, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 12
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Rees 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:

Rees Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Dr. George Rees, (b. 1810), aged 31, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Lord William Bentinck" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 24th May 1841 13
Mrs. Rees, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Lord William Bentinck" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 24th May 1841 13
Mr. J. Rees, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Sir Edward Paget" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 19th December 1850 14
Mrs. Rees, British settler with 4 children travelling from London aboard the ship "Sir Edward Paget" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 19th December 1850 14
Benjamin Rees, aged 31, a blacksmith, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Oliver Lang" in 1856
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Rees (post 1700) +

William L. Rees, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Colorado, 1932 15
Warren J. Rees (b. 1908), American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Iowa, 1948; District Judge in Iowa 18th District, 1963-69; Justice of Iowa State Supreme Court, 1969-80 16
Thomas Mankell Rees (1925-2003), American Democratic Party politician, Member of California State Assembly 59th District, 1954-62; Member of California State Senate, 1962-65; U.S. Representative from California, 1965-77 16
Thomas P. Rees, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for New York State Assembly, 1956, 1966 16
Thomas H. Rees, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Colorado, 1956 (alternate), 1960 16
T. J. Rees, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Florida, 1956 16
Samuel J. Rees, American Republican politician, Postmaster at Weirton, West Virginia, 1956-65 16
Rollin Raymond Rees (1865-1935), American Republican politician, Member of Kansas State House of Representatives, 1899-1902; District Judge in Kansas 30th District, 1903-10; U.S. Representative from Kansas 5th District, 1911-13 16
R. R. Rees, American politician, Mayor of Huntington Woods, Michigan, 1933-34 16
... (Another 43 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Rees family +

Empress of Ireland

Miss Annie Rees (1899-1914), Canadian Second Class Passenger from Toronto, Ontario, Canada who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 16
Captain Harding Rees (1892-1914), Canadian Second Class Passenger from Toronto, Ontario, Canada who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 17
Captain Ruth Rees (1889-1914), Canadian Second Class Passenger from Toronto, Ontario, Canada who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 17
Mrs. Ruth Rees (1863-1914), née Babington Canadian Second Class Passenger from Toronto, Ontario, Canada who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 17
Mr. David Rees (1858-1914), "Commissioner" Canadian Second Class Passenger from Toronto, Ontario, Canada who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 17
... (Another 20 entries are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Rees 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: Gracieuseté de Ray
Motto Translation: The graciousness of Ray

Sources +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
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)
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 22nd March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/coromandel-and-experiment
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th July 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/atlas
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 24th March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/countess-of-harcourt
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th September 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-st-vincent
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 10th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bussorah-merchant
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 27) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html