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Reed Family History

Reed Name Meaning

English: variant spelling of Read 1.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press


Similar surnames: Reede, Reeds, Redd, Red, Ree, Read, Reid, Need, Rees, Reek

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Reed family from?

You can see how Reed families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Reed family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Reed families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 773 Reed families living in New York. This was about 15% of all the recorded Reed's in USA. New York had the highest population of Reed families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Reed surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Reed ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Reed. 17% of Reed men worked as a Laborer and 8% of Reed women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Reed were Truck Driver and Teacher. .

View Census Data for Reed | 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 1940

  • Laborer
    17%
  • Farmer
    15%
  • Salesman
    4%
  • Truck Driver
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    8%
  • Housekeeper
    7%
  • Housewife
    6%
  • Teacher
    6%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Reed family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1 million census records available for the last name Reed. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Reed census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Reed

Passenger Lists

There are 114,000 immigration records available for the last name Reed. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Reed immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 286,000 military records available for the last name Reed. For the veterans among your Reed ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Reed military records

You've only scratched the surface of Reed family history

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What is the average Reed lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Reed life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1941, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Reed in 1940 was 40, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Reed

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