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Rey Family History

Rey Name Meaning

Spanish Galician and French (Occitan): from Spanish and Old French rey ‘king’ (from Latin rex genitive regis) which may have denoted someone in the service of a king or it may have been from the title of someone in a brotherhood or a nickname for someone who behaved in a regal fashion or who had earned the title in some contest of skill or by presiding over festivities. Compare Del Rey and Galician Rei . English (Somerset): variant of Ray . German: from a short form of an ancient Germanic personal name formed with ragin ‘counsel’. German: nickname for a leader of dancing or singing from Middle Low German rei(e) ‘(line) dance (satirical) song’.

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


Similar surnames: Ray, Roy, Re, Ney, Fey, Ley, Hey, Reh, Bey, Krey

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 Rey family from?

You can see how Rey families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Rey family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Rey families were found in USA in 1920. In 1840 there were 9 Rey families living in Pennsylvania. This was about 38% of all the recorded Rey's in USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Rey families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Rey 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 Rey ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Rey. 21% of Rey men worked as a Laborer and 6% of Rey women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Rey were Clerk and Teacher. .

View Census Data for Rey | 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
    21%
  • Farmer
    9%
  • Salesman
    6%
  • Clerk
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housekeeper
    6%
  • Housewife
    6%
  • Cook
    6%
  • Teacher
    5%
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What Rey family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 33,000 census records available for the last name Rey. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Rey census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Rey

Passenger Lists

There are 21,000 immigration records available for the last name Rey. 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 Rey immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 7,000 military records available for the last name Rey. For the veterans among your Rey ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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You've only scratched the surface of Rey family history

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What is the average Rey lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Rey life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1943, and highest in 1963. The average life expectancy for Rey in 1943 was 26, and 71 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Rey

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