Raeford
A masculine name of English origin meaning "place by the red ford".
Name Census estimates that about 241 living Americans carry the first name Raeford. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Raeford today is around 73 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Raeford births was 1941 (21 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Raeford. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Raeford is about 73 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Raefords were born before 1963.
People living today
241
~ 1 in 1,422,217 Americans
Peak year
1941
21 babies that year
Average age
73
years old
1983 SSA rank
#5,340
Tracked since 1914
Popularity
Raeford: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Raeford from the 1910s through to the 1980s, spanning 8 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1940s, with 132 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1940s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Raeford by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Raeford during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Raefords live
Origin
Meaning and history of Raeford
The name Raeford is believed to have originated from the Old English language, with its roots dating back to the Anglo-Saxon period in Britain. It is derived from the combination of two words: "ræd," meaning counsel or advice, and "ford," referring to a shallow river crossing.
During the Middle Ages, the name Raeford was predominantly found in rural areas of England, particularly among families residing near fords or river crossings. It was a common practice to name individuals based on their geographic locations or occupations at the time.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Raeford can be traced back to the 11th century, appearing in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This historical document mentions a landowner named Raeford in the county of Norfolk.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Raeford. One such figure was Raeford the Scribe, a renowned calligrapher and illuminator of manuscripts in the 13th century, whose works can be found in various monasteries and libraries across Europe.
In the 15th century, a prominent English merchant named Raeford Woodhouse gained recognition for his extensive trade connections with the Hanseatic League, a powerful economic alliance of merchant guilds and market towns in Northern Europe.
During the 16th century, a military commander named Raeford Fitzhugh played a significant role in the English Civil War, leading a regiment of foot soldiers in several battles against the Royalist forces.
In the realm of literature, Raeford Hemingway, a distant relative of the famous author Ernest Hemingway, gained recognition for his collection of poetry titled "Whispers from the Riverbank," published in 1892.
Another noteworthy figure was Raeford Weston, a pioneering archaeologist born in 1842, who made significant contributions to the understanding of ancient civilizations through his excavations and discoveries in the Middle East and North Africa.
While the name Raeford may not be as common in modern times, its rich history and origins offer a glimpse into the lives and stories of those who carried this name throughout the centuries, serving as a testament to the enduring legacy of names and their cultural significance.
People
Raeford + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Raeford as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with R
Other first names starting with R with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Raeford: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Raeford?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 241 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Raeford going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 1,422,217 US residents.
Is Raeford a common name?
We classify Raeford as "Very Rare". It ranks above 76.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 613 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Raeford most popular?
The single biggest year for Raeford was 1941, when 21 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Raeford is about 73 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Raeford a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Raeford in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.