Reeve, the name is occupational, that is to say it describes the occupation of its original holder. Therefore we cannot trace down to one specific individual. Many hundreds if not thousands of Anglo-Saxons in the Middle Ages would have been known by the name.

REEVE and REEVES origins should not be confused, REEVES, EAVES and EVES came from a completely different source, REEVES being locational - Old English, boarder or edge of a wood or hill. REEVE is a much more complex name and has often been "corrupted" to REEVES. The name REAVER is also of different origins, meaning Pillager or Barbarian. A derivative of REEVE is PORTREEVES: Port-reeve, a coastal town Mayor.

One source states that REVE was taken from the Anglo-Saxon refa: and is one of our oldest local officials The RIVES or RYVES name is of French derivation the "i" in RIVES as also the "y" in RYVES is pronounced as the French "i" that is to say, like the English double "e" in REEVES. As a general rule the final "s" in French is not pronounced, and, it might be expected that the early generations would have pronounced the name REVE.

The RIVE, RYVE spelling of the name is almost extinct in England today. The UK-Info CD disc lists 2 RIVES and 105 RYVES for the whole of the United Kingdom. Yet many branches exist in the U.S., many claiming lineage from ROBERT RYVES of Blandford, Dorset Circa 1490 -1551. A history of this lineage can be found in the book 'Reliques of the Rives (Ryves)' by James Rives Childs, ISBN 0-7884-0091-6. First published in 1929.

There is reference to the Reve on the Bayeux Tapestry. We know from documents that a Reve was at Deptford Kent taking an inventory just after the Norman invasion. Possibly The Reeve in Chaucers Canterbury Tales gives the best job description of a Reeve and is well worth a read. The King had a Reeve to help him keep track and collect his taxes. Sheriffs or Shire-reeve’s were the ultimate Reeve appointed to collect and govern counties. This was an awesome appointment where one could make a fortune and just as easily lose ones life. While on a purely local level the Lord of the manor would employ a bailiff, he would deal with the Reeve who was elected by villagers or copyholders (land tenants) as their foreman.

In small villages the Reeve would double as the Constable. The Reeve was therefore respected and even feared for his power by the peasant. This was no doubt miss-used to the reeve’s financial gain. He had, as Chaucer points out, "often a trade to his hands" and was educated by medieval standards, this afforded him a house, often a stipend with such prerequisites as a horse in the Lords stables or a special piece of land. He ate at the Lords table from Lamas to Michaelmas (during harvest). He had the power of giving permission to villeins daughters to marry outside the Manor and had custody of the rolls of the hallmote. Borough-reeve’s were still in power in some towns and cities as late as 1818. Court-leet’s (Lord of the Manor with "little group of friends and relations") would meet yearly and appoint a Borough-reeve, Constables, Magistrates etc., appointments often made in rotation. Constables were on a commission on how many prosecutions they could secure and how serious the crime was. A felony could earn a Constable £40.00. A Manchester Deputy Constable was said to have made more than £20,000 out of his position.

The Reeve name occurs in many manuscripts; from time to time the surname was spelt :- Rive, Ryve, Reve, Reeve, Reave, Reaves, Reeves, Reevson, Reevs, Eaves, Eves, these changes in spelling frequently occurred, often between father and son. There is even one record, of a father and eight sons, in the graveyard where they are buried, all nine have different spellings of their surnames. Many reasons were revealed for these spelling variations but mainly church officials and scribes spelt the name as it was told to them. Reeve is quite a common name in East Anglia, the West Country and Kent.

The East Anglian area is the traditional area of the Puritan colonists to the Northeast American colonies. During The 16th, 17th and 18th centuries England was ravaged by religious and political conflict. Puritanism, Catholicism, Royalist and parliamentary forces shed much blood. Many families were freely "encouraged" to migrate to Ireland, or to the "colonies". Some were rewarded with grants of lands, others were banished. In Ireland, settlers became known as Adventurers seeking land in Ireland. Called "undertakers" they undertook to maintain the Protestant faith. In Ireland they settled in County Down in the mid seventeenth century where many called themselves O'Reeve, O'Rive, O'Rawe.

Meanwhile the New World beckoned and migration continued, some voluntarily from Ireland , but mostly directly from England or Scotland. Kinsmen of the family name Reeve were amongst the many who sailed aboard the armada of small sailing ships known as the "White Sails" which plied the stormy Atlantic. These overcrowded ships were pestilence ridden, sometimes 30% to 40% of the passenger list never reaching their destination, their numbers reduced by sickness or the elements.

Reve............................1273
Rives...........................1490
Reeve..........................1600’s
Reeves........................1650
Servant of Reeveson.....1650 Son of

There is a small village in Lincolnshire by the name of REVESBY (home of Reve). Doomsday says, Revesby Resuesbi; Tallbois. 2 Churches (with East Kirkby). Round Barrows; Revesby Abbey, built on the site of the 12th Century Abbey, was the home of the naturalist Sir Joseph Banks who accompanied Capt. Cook on his voyage around the world 1768-71. Robert one of our best loved old English Christian names. Germanic in origin, meaning Fame, Bright. Spread to France by the German invaders, first spelt Rodbert or Rotbert, French fashion, and then came over to England via the later Norman’s of Brittany. Latin...............ROBUR..........’Heart of Oak’.