Surname Reith - Meaning and Origin
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read moreReith: What does the surname Reith mean?
The surname Reith is of Scottish origin, specifically from the region around Argyll and Bute in the western part of Scotland. It is believed to be a topographic name for someone who lived near a cleared area or a piece of land that had been stripped of its trees, from the Gaelic term "ruidh", meaning "a clearing." There are also occurrences of this surname in Germany, where Reith is a habitational name from several places named with Old High German "riod", which means "clearing." It may also derive from the Middle High German "riute," meaning "cleaver." Like many surnames, the exact origins can be difficult to trace, given the changes in spelling and pronunciation that often occurred over the centuries. Its variations include Rait, Rate, Reat, and other spellings. Regardless of its specific origins, the surname can be found throughout Scotland, England and other countries due to migration and movement over the centuries.
Order DNA origin analysisReith: Where does the name Reith come from?
The surname Reith is of Scottish origin and it is derived from a region in Banffshire in Scotland named Reith. Centuries ago, the Scottish used surnames to refer to a person's profession or where they came from. Therefore, the surname Reith originally signified someone who lived or worked in this region.
This surname was first known to have been used by the Reith family who owned estates near Dingwall and Nairn during the 17th century. The coat of arms for this family implies that they were so-called "small kings" or local leaders.
Today, it's less common in Scotland compared to the past, largely due to migration patterns over time. The name has been carried to various parts of the world including United States, Canada, and Australia among others by Scottish immigrants. However, compared to other surnames, it is still a relatively rare surname. It may be found more often in areas where there's a larger population of Scotland-derived residents.
Variations of the surname Reith
The surname Reith has its origins in the countries of Germany and Scotland. In German, the word Reith means "ride" or "riding".
In terms of spelling variants, the name can be spelled as Reith, Reit, Rith, or Reethe. In some cases, the "h" can be completely dropped or replaced by other letters as seen in spellings such as Reth, Rett, or Ryth.
Other alternate spellings include Reidt, Reitmann, or even Reitmeyer, showcasing the German tradition of adding suffixes like "-mann" or "-meyer" to surnames.
When we look at the Scottish version of the name, we can find spellings like Reid, or variants like Rait, Rate, or Raith.
As for the associated surnames of the same origin, the surname may be related to the surnames Reithmeyer, Reiter (which also translates to "rider" in German), or Reiman.
However, it's worth noting that the spelling and meaning of surnames can vary greatly, even within the same country or region. Exact relationships between names can be hard to establish. The spelling and variants of the surname might have evolved or changed due to factors such as migration, translation, or anglicization.
Famous people with the name Reith
- Sir John Reith: A prominent British broadcast executive who was the first Director-General of the British Broadcasting Corporation from 1927 to 1938.
- Alastair Campbell Reith: A British policewoman who became a prominent public figure in the early 20th century.
- John Reith, 1st Baron Reith: Son of Sir John Reith, successful businessman and Labour-Party politician who was also the BBC Governor from 1938 to 1942.
- Chris Reith: A German-New Zealand musician and audio engineer, who has worked with an array of international artists including Coldplay, David Byrne and Massive Attack.
- James Francis Reith: A Canadian librarian and archivist who worked for Library and Archives Canada for over 40 years.
- Menzies Campbell Reith: Son of Sir John Reith and British broadcaster who was the Controller of the BBC Home Service from 1948-1953.
- Alexandra Reith: A British fashion designer and entrepreneur based in London.
- John Philip Reith: A British physicist who led a team of researchers in the development of the Saturn V rocket, which helped make the Apollo 11 mission possible.
- Alexander Charles Reith: A British actor and comedian best known for his role as Alfie Moon in the popular television sitcom Eastenders.
- Amanda Reith: An Australian actress who has featured in a variety of television shows both in Australia and the United Kingdom.