Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Rei EstonianRei is an Estonian surname possibly derived from "reis", meaning "travel" and "journey" and "reid" meaning "road".
Reial EstonianReial is an Estonian surname derived from "treial" meaning "lathe turner".
Reichel GermanDerived from the Germanic root
ric meaning "power".
Reichenberg German, JewishHabitational name from various places named
Reichenberg in several different areas of Germany. As an ornamental name, it is composed of German
reich(en) meaning "rich" and
berg meaning "mountain, hill".
Reichstein GermanHabitational name from places named Reichstein (in Saxony) or Reichenstein (in Rhineland, Schleswig-Holstein, and Württemberg).
Reidhead EnglishThe origins of the Reidhead surname are uncertain. In some instances, it was no doubt derived from the Old English word "read," meaning "red," and was a nickname that came to be a surname. Either way, we may conclude that it meant "red-haired" or "ruddy complexioned."
Reifinger German1 German: perhaps a habitational name for someone from any of several places called Reiting in Bavaria and Austria, or from a Germanic personal name, a variant of Rediger .... [
more]
Reille French, OccitanTopographic name derived from Old Occitan
relha meaning "plowshare", or a habitational name from any of several places named
Reille or
La Reille in southern France. A notable bearer was Honoré Charles Reille (1775-1860), a Marshal of France during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars.
Reimann GermanFrom a pet form of a Germanic personal name formed with a first element from ragin 'advice', 'counsel' or ric 'power(ful)', 'rich'.
Reimer GermanFrom a Germanic personal name, a reduced form of Reinmar, composed of the elements
ragin "counsel" +
mari,
meri "fame".
Reimets EstonianReimets is an Estonian surname possibly derived from "raie" ("cutting" and "felling trees") and "mets", meaning forest. Possibly a corruption of "reid" ("road" and "roadstead") and ""mets" ("forest").
Reinaus EstonianReinaus is an Estonian surname derived from the masculine given name "Rein" and "aus" meaning "honest".
Reinbold GermanFrom a Germanic personal name composed of the elements
ragin "counsel" +
bald "bold", "brave."
Reinert GermanNorth German: from a Germanic personal name composed of the elements ragin ‘counsel’ + hard ‘hardy’, ‘brave’, ‘strong’, for example Reinhard ( see Reinhardt ).
Reinhardt GermanComes from a personal name Raginhard, composed of the elements ragin, meaning counsel, with hard, hardy, brave, strong.
Reinik EstonianReinik is an Estonian surname derived from the masculine given name "Rein".
Reinking GermanReinking is a German-derived surname meaning "one who is neat and tidy"
Reinlund Norwegian (Rare)The last name didn't show up until the early 1900s. Only a few people in Norway and Finnland have this last name
Reinmaa EstonianReinmaa is an Estonian surname meaning "Rein's land". From the masculine give name "Rein" and "maa" ("land").
Reino EstonianReino is an Estonian surname, a variant of the masculine given name "Rein".
Reinsalu EstonianReinsalu is an Estonian surname derived from "Rein" (a masculine given name) and "salu", meaning grove; "Rein's grove".
Reintalu EstonianReintalu is an Estonian surname derived from "Rein" (a masculine given name) and "talu", meaning "farm"; "Rein's farm".
Reintamm EstonianReintamm is an Estonian surname meaning "Rein's (masculine given name) oak".
Reise German, JewishGerman (Westphalia) topographic name, from Middle Low German
ris,
res ‘swamp’. ... [
more]
Reisenauer GermanProbably denoted a person from a minor place called
Reisenau, or a topographic name for someone living by an overgrown water meadow, derived from Middle High German
ris meaning "undergrowth" and
owe meaning "water meadow".
Reiser German, Upper GermanHabitational name for someone from Reis or Reissen in Bavaria (see
Reis). An occupational name from Middle High German
reisære ‘warrior’, ‘traveler’... [
more]
Reisner JewishJewish (Ashkenazic) nickname for a traveler, from an agent derivative of German
reisen ‘to travel’ (see
Reise). Also a variant of
Reis.
Reisner GermanA habitational name for someone from a place called Reisen (for example in Bavaria), Reissen in Thuringia, or Reussen on the Saale river. A variant of
Reiser Also from an agent derivative of Middle High German, Middle Low German
rise ‘veil’; perhaps an occupational name for someone who made veils.
Reitalu EstonianReitalu is an Estonian surname derived from "reid" meaning "road" and "talu" meaning "farm/farmstead".
Reiväli EstonianReiväli is an Estonian surname meaning "road/roadstead field".
Reixach CatalanHabitational name for someone from any of the various places called
Reixac in Catalonia, Spain, for example the municipality of Montcada i Reixac in the province of Barcelona.
Reiziger Dutch, Dutch (Surinamese)Derived from Middle Dutch
reisiger meaning "traveller, voyager", ultimately from Middle High German meaning "soldier on horseback". It is notably borne by the Dutch former soccer player Michael Reiziger (1973-).
Rekdal NorwegianThe name of people from the small town Rekdal in West-Norway. Former footballer Kjetil Rekdal (1968- ) is the most known person from there.
Reller German (Swiss)Occupational name for a miller, derived from the Swiss German dialect term
relle meaning "grist mill".
Relph EnglishFrom the Old French male personal name
Riulf, of Germanic origin and meaning literally "power-wolf" (cf.
Riculf).
Remini ItalianFamous bearer: Actress and Scientology critic Leah Remini.
Remmelgas EstonianRemmelgas is an Estonian surname; a colloquial name meaning "willow".
Rempe German (Americanized, Modern)The roots of the German surname Rempe lie in the former duchy of Silesia, now part of Poland. The name means, simply, "son of Rempel," and was a popular first name in Silesia during the Middle Ages.
Remulta FilipinoIt can be derived from Spanish word which means "remultar" which means "to rumble" or "to grumble". It can also come from another Spanish root word "mult-" which can be associated with the idea "many" "multiply" "multus".
Renberg SwedishCombination of Swedish
ren "reindeer" and
berg "mountain". The first element might also be derived from a place name.
Rench English1. English: nickname from Middle English wrench 'trick, wile, deceit' (Old English wrenc), perhaps used for a deceitful person. ... [
more]
Rendelmann GermanA habitational name for someone from Rendel near Frankfurt (Hesse).
Renehan IrishDerived from Irish Gaelic, meaning "sharp- or star-pointed."
Renfrew ScottishAnglicized form of the Gaelic
Rinn Friù, meaning "cradle of the Royal Stewards." It is derived from either the historical county of Renfrewshire in the west central lowlands of Scotland, or the town of Renfrew within both the historical and present-day boundaries of the county.
Rengel German (Swiss)From a pet form of a Germanic personal name formed with
rang "curved", "bending"; "slender".
Rengel SpanishHabitational name from a place called Rengel in Málaga province.
Rengel Medieval CroatianUsed by several houses of Croatia few centuries ago, now, those of this name are but a shadows of once proud and prestigious house
Renley Jewish (Rare), English (Rare)Possibly derived from the Old English
rinc "man, warrior" or
rim 'edge, circular edge' or possibly
wraenna 'wren', and
leah "field, clearing".
Renn English (British)The surname Renn was first found in Durham where they held a family seat from early times, and were originally descended from Ralph de Raines who was granted lands by William, Duke of Albany in that shire... [
more]
Rens DutchFrom the personal name
Rens, a reduced form of
Laurens. Could also derive from a given name containing the element
regin "advice, counsel", such as
Reinoud.
Renshaw English, ScottishA habitational surname from any of the so-called or like-sounding places in the United Kingdom. These include Renishaw in Derbyshire, Ramshaw in Durham, the lost Renshaw in Cheshire and Radshaw in Yorkshire... [
more]
Rentería SpanishCastilianized variant of Basque
Errenteria, the name of two towns in Gipuzkoa and Biscay provinces, Basque Country. Means "customs" in Spanish.
Renwick Scottish (Rare)A habitational name from a place in Cumbria, so called from the Old English byname
Hræfn meaning "raven" + wic "outlying settlement".
Repass German (Swiss)An Americanization of the Swiss
Rippas. The first recorded person with this surname was from Ziefen, Switzerland.
Requa GermanVariant of
Ricward, from a Germanic personal name composed of the elements
ric ‘power(ful)’ +
ward ‘guardian’.
Requena Spanish, Catalanhabitational name from Requena in Valencia or Requena de Campos in Palencia apparently so called from a short form of the various Visigothic compound personal names with the first element
rīc "powerful" with the addition of the locative suffix -ena.
Requesens CatalanThis indicates familial origin within the eponymous neighborhood of the municipality of La Jonquera.
Requião PortugueseDerived from the name of a village in Vila Nova de Famalicão, Portugal, ultimately from the name of
Rechila, a 5th-century Suevic king of Gallaecia.
Requiroso FilipinoDenoted a person from one of the various places of this name in Spain. Quirós, the place name, may derive from Galician
queiroa meaning "heather".
Reschke GermanDerived from the Middle High German word "rasch" meaning "quick," or "hot-headed". As such, it may have originated as a nickname for a quick or rash person.
Reshetnikov RussianOccupational name for a maker of sieves or gratings, derived from Russian решетник
(reshetnik) meaning "sheathing, grate, sieve".
Restivo ItalianFrom an Italian nickname derived from the dialectal word restivu meaning "uncommunicative, reserved".
Reston EnglishLocation name from northern England meaning "brush wood settlement" or place where brush wood, also known as
rispe, grew.
Restorick CornishMeans "person from Restowrack", farm in Cornwall ("watery hill-spur").
Reta SpanishCastilianized variant of Basque Erreta, a habitational name from a town called Erreta in Navarre, Basque Country
Rétif FrenchDerived from French
rétif "restive; rebellious".
Reubens Jewish, EnglishDerived from the given name
Reuben. This surname was borne by American comedian and actor Paul Reubens (1952-2023; birth name Paul Rubenfeld), who created and played the comic fictional character Pee-wee Herman.
Reus DutchMeans "giant" in Dutch, a nickname for a big man.
Reus GermanTopographic name from Middle High German
riuse "fish trap", or from a regional term
reuse meaning "small stream, channel".
Reus CatalanFrom the name of a city in Catalonia, Spain.
Reuss GermanOccupational name for a cobbler, from Middle High German
riuze.
Reusser Swiss, German, Upper GermanIn Switzerland, an occupational name for a fisherman or maker of fish traps, from an agent derivative of Middle High German
riuse "fish trap, weir basket". A nickname from an agent noun based on Middle High German
riusen "to moan or complain"... [
more]
Reveille FrenchDerived from Old French
reveille "lively, vivid; alert".
Revell EnglishFrom a medieval nickname for someone who is full of noisy enthusiasm and energy (from Middle English
revel "festivity, tumult").
Revelle FrenchVariant of
Revell, derived from the Old French word
revel meaning pride, rebellion, etc.
Revels Americanfrom the surname Revel, a variant of
Revell, a Middle English and Old French name referring to festivity
Revord French (Quebec)Comes from the French surname of
Rivard, a geographical name for someone who lived on a river bank. The -ard ending is changed to -ord in Canadian and American French.
Rexford AmericanAmerican form of German 'Rexforth' thought to mean "kings crossing".
Rexley EnglishSupposedly meaning "king's clearing" from Latin
rex and Old English
leah.
Rey Welsh, Scottish, IrishEither a variant of
McRae, or else directly derived from Irish
rí, Scottish
Rìgh, or Welsh
ri,
rhi, or
rhiau, all meaning "king"... [
more]
Reyna SpanishThis could be transferred use of the first name Reyna, a variant of
Reina, which means "queen".
Reytblat YiddishMeans "red leaf" in Yiddish. This is somewhat rare, chiefly used by Jews from Russia and Ukraine.
Rezgui Arabic (Maghrebi)Derived from Arabic رِزْق
(rizq) meaning "livelihood, subsistence, daily bread" (chiefly Tunisian).
Reznikov Russian, JewishOccupational name for a Jewish ritual slaughterer, from Yiddish
reznik meaning "butcher".
Reznor GermanMay be a variant of the German surname
Reisner, a habitational name for someone from a place called Reisen (for example in Bavaria), Reissen in Thuringia, or Reussen on the Saale river.
Rheims FrenchFrom the city of Reims in France, also known as Rheims in English.
Rhein GermanFrom the German name for the River Rhine, denoting somebody whom lived within close proximity to the river. The river name itself comes from a Celtic word meaning 'to flow' (Welsh
redan, 'run, flow').
Rhett DutchAnglicized form of Dutch
de Raedt, derived from
raet "advice, counsel". Compare
Raad.
Rhine German, French, English, IrishA habitational name for an individual whom lived within close proximity of the River Rhine (see
Rhein). The river name is derived from a Celtic word meaning 'to flow' (Welsh
redan, 'flow').... [
more]
Rhoton German, FrenchRhoton is a German and French surname from the 1800s. Some people believe that it is derived from the French word for red, but the origin is overall unknown. The name represents strength and power.
Rhys WelshIn addition to being used as a given name, it occurs as a surname both alone and in combination with other surnames. Related patronymic forms of the surname are Price, Prys, Pris and Preece. A notable bearer is John Rhys-Davies.
Ri KoreanAlternate romanization of
Lee 2 chiefly used in North Korea.
Ri JapaneseJapanese form of
Li 1, from Japanese 李 (
ri) meaning "plum, prune".
Riba De Neira GalicianThis indicates familial origin within the eponymous parish of the municipality of Baralla, Comarca of Os Ancares.
Ribchester EnglishThis name originates from the small village in Lancashire that shares the same name. Interestingly, most people with the name 'Ribchester' are in Lancashire, but a lot are also found in Newcastle Upon Tyne.
Ribera Catalan, SpanishHabitational name from any of various locations in Spain named Ribera, derived from Catalan and Spanish
ribera meaning "bank, shore".
Ricario SpanishSpanish and Jewish (Sephardic): from the personal name Ricardo ( see Richard ).