Reid

The surname is documented from the 12th century in Scottish charters and spread widely across the Lowlands, becoming 1 of the most common surnames in Scotland by the early modern period.

Notable early bearers include the Scottish philosopher Thomas Reid (1710-1796), founder of the Scottish School of Common Sense philosophy and author of An Inquiry into the Human Mind (1764), which responded to the skepticism of David Hume and

influenced generations of Scottish and American thinkers.

Cultural and political bearers include the American newspaper editor Whitelaw Reid (1837-1912), owner of the New York Tribune, and the United States Senate majority leader Harry Reid (1939-2021), who represented Nevada from 1987 to 2017.

In literature, the Scottish adventure novelist Mayne Reid (1818-1883) wrote best-selling tales of the American frontier that influenced Robert Louis Stevenson.

Reid first appeared in the U.S. SSA top 1000 for boys in 1955 and climbed steadily through the late 20th century, reaching roughly number 260 by 2014.

The name holds particular strength in the American Midwest and among families with Scottish or Scots-Irish heritage. It is also well established in Scotland, England, Canada, and Australia, where it functions both as a surname and as a given name.

Contemporary bearers include NHL player Reid Boucher, actor Reid Scott, and philanthropist Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn.