Although these names are represented by seperate and distinct
families in many sections of Great Britain, the United States, and
other parts of the world, they have undoubtely a common derivation.
The name orginated in the ancient word "reve", meaning a bailiff,
provost or steward.

In the feudal days of Britain almost every manor of consequence had
its "reve" whose authority was to levy the lord's rent, to set to
work his servants, to superintend his dominions to his best profit
and to govern his tenants in peace as well as to lead them forth to
war when necessity required.

After the Normans invaded England (1066) the name "reve" was
changed to "bailiff". In later times the word "sheriff"
(shire-reve) came into use designating the principal Governor over
the English shire or country.

Robert Reve of Blandford, County Dorset, was the earliest known
ancestor of the English family of Reve, Rives, or Ryves. He was
born about 1490. At his death in 1551, he was buried in the Church
of Saints Peter and Paul in Blandford Forum where the coat of arms
was found in the north window. One William Rives who settled in
Virginia was considered the founder of the Rives, Ryves family in
the southern states of America. He was the son of Timothy Rives of
Oxfordshire, England and came to Surrey County, Virginia about
1653.

The first documented representative of this branch of the Reeves
family was George Reeves who was born about 1700 in Virginia. There
is no record to be found of his arrival by ship in that generation
so it is quite likely that his father was the emigrant.