Surname Rebers - Meaning and Origin

Rebers: What does the surname Rebers mean?

The last name Rebers is a German occupational surname derived from the Middle Low German word rivernes meaning "bees." It was most likely given to people who were beekeepers or someone who had a bee-related occupation. It is succeeded by various spellings such as Rebus, Rebes, Rebez, Rebusch, and Ribes among others.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many with the last name Rebers emigrated from Germany to the United States and other countries. This was largely due to aggravated economic and political conditions in the country at the time, which also prompted a lot of people with other Germanic surnames to seek greener pastures elsewhere.

People named Rebers have since spread to different parts of the world, and the name is found in Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and more. There are even a few Rebers in the United States and Canada.

The most famous person known to bear the surname Rebers is Heinrich Rebers, a German architect from the Bundesland of Lower Saxony. He had a hand in the building and repair of many churches and other structures in the area. He worked from the late 1920s to the 1960s, and during his career, Heinrich built more than 100 churches and was even used as a consultant for rebuilding and restoration of a few historical monuments. His works can still be seen today in many parts of German.

Rebers: Where does the name Rebers come from?

The surname Rebers is mainly found in Germany and certain other German-speaking countries. Although its presence in the UK and other areas outside Germany is much more limited, there have been instances of it being found in the Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium and Austria.

In Germany, it can be traced back to the early Middle Ages in the form of Revers, with the first known use of the form Rebers being found in a document from the year 1346. The original meaning of the family name is likely related to orange and/or pear trees, alluding to the fact that Rebers may have been a farm or landowner in the area.

In Germany and other German-speaking countries, the Rebers name tends to be spread relatively evenly across the central regions, with concentrations in Rhineland-Palatinate and Saxony. There have also been reported instances of the Rebers name being found in emigrant communities in North America, New Zealand, Australia and other parts of the world.

To this day, the last name Rebers remains relatively popular in Germany and other German-speaking countries, with its usage appearing to remain relatively consistent over time.

Variations of the surname Rebers

The surname Rebers is a very uncommon name with a few different variants. It could be spelled Reber, Reiers, Reyerz, Reyers, or Reyersz, and is most likely of Germanic or Dutch origin.

The Germainic spelling is Reiers which comes from the Middle High German word riure meaning “nobleman”. This form of the surname was likely used in the Middle Ages and is still found in some parts of Germany today.

The Dutch version of the surname is Reyers which is a Dutch occupational name for a roofer. This form of the surname was most likely used in the Netherlands in the late medieval to early modern period. It is still found in some parts of the Netherlands today.

The spelling Reyerz is also found in some parts of Germany and the Netherlands. This spelling is likely an adaptation of Reiers, and is most likely used to emphasize the Germanic root of the surname.

The spelling Rebers is a unique variation of the Reiers and Reyers. It is unknown if it is a German, Dutch, or a combination of the two. It is still found in some places in both Germany and the Netherlands but is much rarer than the other variations of the surname.

Some alternative surnames with similar meanings include Reinks, Reiter, Reyns, and Reen. These surnames are also mostly from Germanic or Dutch origins and are still found in some places.

Famous people with the name Rebers

• Uta Rebers-Emden: German theater and television director.
• Thomas Rebers: German singer and former frontman of Tocotronic.
• Max Rebers: German actor.
• Klaus Rebers: German comedian.
• Joe Rebers: Formerly one of the guitarists for the band Luna Crush.
• Erich Rebers: German composer and music theorist.
• Richard Rebers: American actor and filmmaker.
• Henry Rebers: German astronomer, educated at the University of Halle.
• Francisco Rebers: Professional tennis player from Colombia.
• Brenda Rebers: American artist and sculptor.
• Sherwood Rebers: American football player.
• Bill Rebers: Former American sprint car driver.
• Jonathan Rebers: American actor and the son of actor Richard Rebers.
• Menno Rebers: Singer and songwriter.
• Carlo Rebers: Singer-songwriter and music producer.
• Gerhardt Rebers: German physicist and chemist.
• Leonhard Rebers: German painter and printmaker.
• Charles Rebers: American politician from New York.
• Reinier Rebers: Dutch photographer.
• Voltaire Rebers: American football player and former running back.

Other surnames

ReberRebergReberger