Rees ( ) is a very common Welsh name that traces back to the ancient

Celts The Celts ( , see Names of the Celts#Pronunciation, pronunciation for different usages) or Celtic peoples ( ) were a collection of Indo-European languages, Indo-European peoples. "The Celts, an ancient Indo-European people, reached the apoge ...

known as the

Britons British people or Britons, also known colloquially as Brits, are the citizens of the United Kingdom, the British Overseas Territories, and the Crown dependencies.: British nationality law governs modern British citizenship and nationality, w ...

. The surname was first recorded in

Carmarthenshire Carmarthenshire (; or informally ') is a Principal areas of Wales, county in the South West Wales, south-west of Wales. The three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford. Carmarthen is the county town and administrative centre. ...

, and is derived from the personal name

Rhys Rhys or Rhŷs is a popular Welsh language, Welsh given name (usually male) that is famous in Welsh history and is also used as a surname. It originates from Deheubarth, an old region of South West Wales, with famous kings such as Rhys ap Tewdwr. ...

. Rhys is very common in Wales, and some parts of England. Rees is also a

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

name. Notable individuals named Rees include the following: * Abraham Rees (1743–1825), compiler of ''Rees's Cyclopaedia'' and a botanist * Alan Rees (1938–2024), British Formula One driver * Albert E. Rees (1921–1992) American economist, presidential adviser, and Princeton provost. * Albert E. Rees (actor) 19th-century comic opera actor * Aneurin Rees (1858–1932), Wales rugby union international * Angharad Rees (1949–2012), British actress * Betty Anne Rees (1943–2024), American actress * Billy Rees (1924–1996), Welsh international footballer * Brinley Rees (1919–2004), British classicist * Celia Rees, British author * Clive Rees, Wales and British Lions rugby union international * Conway Rees (1870–1932), Welsh rugby union international * Coralie Clarke Rees (1908–1972), an Australian author * Dai Rees (1913–1983), Welsh golfer * Dai Rees (scientist) (1936–2021), British biochemist and science administrator * Dan Rees (rugby), Welsh international rugby player * David Rees (disambiguation), several people * Don Rees, warden of Hugh Stewart Hall in the University of Nottingham for 29 years * Eberhard Rees (1908–1998), rocketry pioneer and the second director of

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the federal government of the United States, US federal government responsible for the United States ...

Marshall Space Flight Center Marshall Space Flight Center (officially the George C. Marshall Space Flight Center; MSFC), located in Redstone Arsenal, Alabama (Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville postal address), is the Federal government of the United States, U.S. government's ...

Eleri Rees Eleri Mair Rees (''née'' Morgan; born 7 July 1953) is a Welsh judge. Since 18 June 2012, she has been the Resident Judge of Cardiff Crown Court and Recorder of Cardiff. She has been a circuit judge since 2002. She was called to the bar in 19 ...

(born 1953), Welsh judge * Elgan Rees, Wales and British Lions rugby union international * Elmer Rees, British geometer * Fernando Rees (born 1985), Brazilian auto racing driver * Gareth Rees (disambiguation), multiple people, including: ** Gareth Rees (cricketer) (born 1985), Welsh cricketer **

Gareth Rees (motorsport commentator) Gareth Rees (born 12 March 1969) is a Welsh motorsport commentator. He has commentated on a wide variety of series, including Champ Car, IndyCar, the World Series, Formula 3000, Euro 3000, DTM and GP2. Rees has worked for both British Euro ...

(born 1969), Welsh motorsport commentator ** Gareth Rees (rugby union) (born 1967), former Canadian rugby player * Gavin Rees (born 1980), Welsh professional boxer * Geraint Rees, British neurologist and neuroscientist * Goronwy Rees (1909–1979), Welsh journalist, academician, memoirist, and Soviet spy * Grover J. Rees III (born 1951), American judge and diplomat * Jason Rees, Welsh footballer * Jean Rees (1914–2004), British artist * Jeremy Rees (1937–2003), British arts administrator *

Jerry Rees Jerry W. Rees (born November 15, 1956) is an American film director and animator, best known for the Emmy-nominated animated feature film '' The Brave Little Toaster'' (1987) and creating many of the visual effects for '' Tron'' (1982). Early l ...

, U.S. animator and film director * John Rees (disambiguation), multiple people, including: **

John Rees (activist) John Rees (born 1957) is a British political activist, academic, journalist and writer who is a national officer of the Stop the War Coalition, and founding member of ''Counterfire''. He is currently a visiting research fellow at Goldsmiths, Un ...

(born 1957), British political musician ** John Rees (journalist), American journalist ** John David Rees (1854–1922), colonial administrator in British India and Member of Parliament ** John Rees (musician) (1857–1949), Welsh musician **

John Rawlings Rees John Rawlings Rees, (25 June 1890 – 11 April 1969), also known as 'Jack' or 'J.R.', was a British civilian and military psychiatrist. Early life Born in Leicester to the Methodist minister Reverend Montgomery Rees and his wife Catharine Mil ...

(1890–1969), British psychiatrist *

Jonathan Rees Jonathan Rees is a British private investigator, and former partner of murdered private investigator Daniel Morgan. Early life and career Born in September 1954 in Doncaster, Yorkshire, Rees left school and joined the Merchant Navy, then became ...

, British private investigator * Jonathan Rees, an actor professionally known as Greg Ellis * Idwal Rees (1910–1991), Wales rugby union captain * Ivor Rees (1893–1967), Welsh soldier and recipient of the Victoria Cross * Katie Rees, a former American beauty queen *

Laurence Rees Laurence Rees (born 1957) is an English historian. He is a BAFTA winning historical documentary filmmaker and a British Book Award winning author of several books about Adolf Hitler, the Nazis and the atrocities committed, especially by them, d ...

, (born 1957), British historian, author and documentary filmmaker * Leighton Rees (1940–2003), Welsh darts player * Lionel Wilmot Brabazon Rees (1884–1955), Welsh World War I flying ace * Lloyd Rees (1895–1988), Australian landscape painter * Martin Rees, Baron Rees of Ludlow (born 1942), British Astronomer Royal * Matt Rees, (born 1967) Welsh novelist * Matthew Rees, Wales and British Lions rugby union international *

Merlyn Rees Merlyn Merlyn-Rees, Baron Merlyn-Rees, (né Merlyn Rees; 18 December 1920 – 5 January 2006) was a British Labour Party politician and Member of Parliament from 1963 until 1992. He served as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1974–1 ...

(1920–2006), British Labour party politician and minister * Milsom Rees (1866–1952), Welsh surgeon * Nathan Rees, (born 1968) Australian politician with the Labor Party, and Premier of New South Wales * Nigel Rees (born 1944), English writer and broadcaster * Nigel Rees (footballer) (born 1953), Welsh footballer * Norman J. Rees (c. 1906 – 1976), double agent for USSR and FBI * Peter Rees (1926–2008), British Conservative party politician * Paul Rees (born 1986), British racing driver * Robert Rees (disambiguation), several people * Ronnie Rees, Welsh international footballer * Roger Rees (1944–2015), Welsh actor * Ronnie Rees (born 1944), Welsh footballer * Stuart Rees, director of the Sydney Peace Foundation * Thomas Rees (disambiguation), multiple people, including: ** Thomas Rees (Unitarian minister) (1777–1864), Welsh Unitarian minister and scholar ** Thomas Rees (Twm Carnabwth) (c. 1806–1876; also known as Twm Carnabwth), Welsh leader of the Rebecca Riots ** Thomas Rees (Congregational minister) (1815–1885), Welsh Congregationalist minister ** Thomas Ifor Rees (1890–1977), Welsh diplomat and translator ** Tom Rees (rugby union) (born 1984), English rugby union player ** Tommy Rees (1904–1968), Welsh dual-code rugby player ** Thomas Wynford Rees (1898–1959), British soldier in the British Indian Army * William Rees (disambiguation), several people

References

{{surname, Rees Anglicised Welsh-language surnames English-language surnames

See also

References