Surname Rea - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'R'
Rea: What does the surname Rea mean?
The surname Rea has both Irish and Italian origins. In the context of Irish heritage, it is an anglicized form of the Gaelic "Ó Ráighne" or "Ó Ráithe", meaning descendant of Ráighne or Ráthach. The personal names Ráighne and Ráthach imply prosperity or grace. In some cases, it is also a variant of "Roe", another anglicized form of the Gaelic "Ruadh" which means "red", often referred to someone with red hair or ruddy complexion.
In the context of Italian origin, the surname Rea is derived from Greek via the Italian word "rea" which means guilty or culprit. It was originally a nickname for a mischievous or maybe lawbreakers person. However, it's important to remember that not everyone bearing the Rea surname necessarily has ancestors who were criminals; the meaning has likely diluted over time.
It is also located as a place name in several areas throughout Italy. So, another possibility is that the surname indicates a geographic origin, named after those who hailed from any of those places. In either origin, surnames often evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, heraldic patronage, etc.
Order DNA origin analysisRea: Where does the name Rea come from?
The surname Rea has a few possible origins. One of its sources is Scottish and Northern Irish, derived from the name of an ancient Scottish clan—MacRae. Another origin is Italian, specifically from Southern Italy, namely the Campania region. In Italian, "rea" means "defendant" or "guilty".
The surname could also be drawn from a topographic name for someone who lived by a stream, derived from the Old Norse word "rá" which means "a row" as in "rill" or "channel". A cultivated piece of land may also be referred to as "rá".
A few famous people with this last name include actors Stephen and Chris Rea from the UK, as well as American actor Jack Rea. As such, the name can be found in various countries today, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, Canada, and Australia. It's most common today in Northern Ireland, followed by Scotland, New Zealand, England, and the United States.
Variations of the surname Rea
The surname Rea has various forms and can occasionally be seen with different spellings, due to regional dialects, differences in pronunciation, and translation between languages. Some variants and similar surnames include Rhea, Reay, Rey, Rae, Reeh, Ree, Rie, Riha, and Reh.
In terms of surnames of the same origin, Rea is thought to derive from ancient Gaelic, Old English, and possibly even Norse-Viking roots. Associated Gaelic names include O'Raghallaigh (usually anglicized as O'Reilly) and O'Riagain (Ryan), while in Old English, the ancestral names of Rye or Rygh could be connected.
It's essential to note, however, that surnames can evolve significantly over centuries and across countries, so direct lines of "origin" can be difficult to trace definitively. Furthermore, similar sounding surnames may not share the same origins. For example, the similar sounding Italian surname Rea may derive from the Latin "reus" meaning defendant or guardian and thus may not have a common origin with the Gaelic or English versions.
Sometimes, search for ancestors or family heritage may lead to different variants of a surname, so this list is not exhaustive by any means. Always consider all possible variants when researching genealogy.
Famous people with the name Rea
- Chris Rea: British singer, songwriter, and guitarist
- Taylor Rea: American actress and singer
- Phil Rea: American actor
- John Rea: Canadian composer and orchestral conductor
- Lola Rea: Filipino actress
- F. W. Rea: American director and producer of silent films
- Tommy Rea: American baseball player
- Earl Rea: English cricketer
- Ted Rea: American Major League Baseball player
- Zack Rea: American football player
- Benjamin Rea: American pastor and evangelist
- Ella Rea: American actress
- Uriel Rea: Spanish footballer
- Jennifer Rea: Brazilian musician
- Eddie Rea: English football goalkeeper
- Johan Rea: Swedish footballer
- Peter Rea: Austrian alpine skier
- Chanel Rea: American actress
- Jimmy Rea: English footballer
- Thomas Rea: American film editor