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Reith Family History

Reith Surname Meaning

South German: habitational name from any of several places (Reith in Bavaria and Austria) named with Middle High German riute ‘forest clearing’. Compare Reiten, Reiter, and Reuter.

North German: topographic name for someone who lived near a reedy area from Middle Low German rēt reit ‘reedgrass’ or a habitational name from Reit in Lower Saxony.

Scottish (Aberdeenshire): shortened form of Gaelic Mac Raith see McRae.

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


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Where is the Reith family from?

You can see how Reith families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Reith family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Reith families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 23 Reith families living in London. This was about 34% of all the recorded Reith's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Reith families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Reith 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 Reith ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Reith. 77% of Reith women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Reith | 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 Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    77%
  • Private Means
    11%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    5%
  • Incapacitated
    3%

What Reith family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 20,000 census records available for the last name Reith. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Reith census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Reith

Passenger Lists

There are 17,000 immigration records available for the last name Reith. 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 Reith immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 4,000 military records available for the last name Reith. For the veterans among your Reith ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Reith military records

You've only scratched the surface of Reith family history

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What is the average Reith lifespan?

Between 1948 and 2004, in the United States, Reith life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1957, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Reith in 1948 was 51, and 80 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Reith

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Reith 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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