Reavis
A surname most likely from a medieval personal name or a nickname form that was later reshaped in English spelling.
The #6,411 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 58,199 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Reavis is an uncommon surname, and its exact origin is not securely documented in the standard surname dictionaries. In English records it is often treated as a variant spelling of names such as Revis, Reves, or related forms that go back to a medieval given name or a nickname built from Old French and Middle English elements. The surname may ultimately reflect a personal name rather than a place or occupation, but the precise root is uncertain.
History
The name appears to be concentrated in English-speaking countries, especially the United States, where it has persisted in small numbers. Like many surnames that passed through shifting spellings, Reavis likely stabilized only after families migrated and record-keepers wrote the name in different ways. Modern bearers may be connected to variant branches of the broader Revis/Reaves/Reeves name group, though not all instances will share a single origin.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Because the name is uncommon and spellings varied widely in older records, one family line can sometimes appear under several different forms across censuses, parish registers, and legal documents.