Rice

As a Welsh surname, borrowed from Welsh Rhys, an Anglicization. Compare Reese, Freese, Price, and Preece.

As an English surname, from Old English hris (“brushwood, shrubbery”).

Also as an English surname, from a nickname through Middle English and Anglo-Norman from French ris (“smile, laughter”).

Also as an occupational English surname, from the noun rice.

As as German surname, Americanized from Reis (“shoot, twig”), related to the Old English word above. Compare Ries.