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Rees Family History

Rees Surname Meaning

Welsh: variant of Rice.

German: habitational name from a place in the Rhineland called Rees.

German: from a short form of the personal name Andreas.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Rees family from?

You can see how Rees families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Rees family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Rees families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 12,506 Rees families living in Glamorgan. This was about 47% of all the recorded Rees's in United Kingdom. Glamorgan had the highest population of Rees families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Rees surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Rees ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Rees. 5% of Rees men worked as a General Labourer and 66% of Rees women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Rees were Coal Hewer and Household Duties.

View Census Data for Rees | 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 1939

  • General Labourer
    5%
  • Colliery Hewer
    5%
  • Farmer
    4%
  • Coal Hewer
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    66%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Domestic Duties
    2%
  • Household Duties
    2%

What Rees family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 397,000 census records available for the last name Rees. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Rees census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Rees

Passenger Lists

There are 51,000 immigration records available for the last name Rees. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Rees immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 36,000 military records available for the last name Rees. For the veterans among your Rees ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Rees military records

You've only scratched the surface of Rees family history

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What is the average Rees lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Rees life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Rees in 1944 was 27, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Rees

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Rees ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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