Parent’s name

Reese surname meaning

Chiefly a Welsh surname from the personal name Rhys, “ardent” or “fiery,” with a separate northern German Reese route.

Confidence: Disputed
US frequency: Rank 454 · 71,141 people
Common variants: Rees, Rhys, Reece, Rice

Confidence: Disputed. More than one origin is plausible, or sources disagree. We show the conflict rather than pick a cute answer.

The short story

Reese is chiefly an anglicized spelling of the Welsh personal name Rhys, often glossed “ardent,” “fiery,” or “impetuous.” Related English and Welsh forms include Rees, Reece, Rice, and Price (from ap Rhys). In North America, Reese can also represent an unrelated northern German surname from Middle Low German rēse, “giant,” so the same Latin spelling does not guarantee one origin. Parent’s name is the catalog lead because the Welsh given-name route is the most prominent. Disputed confidence keeps the German nickname route visible.

Also seen as: Rees, Rhys, Reece, Rice

Sources used

Wikipedia 'Reese (surname)' (Welsh Rhys anglicization)
Wiktionary 'Reese' (Welsh Rhys and German Reese “giant” routes)
Names2020_LastNames_RaceHispanic_Top1000.xlsx (2020 Census)