Find out how popular the last name Raab is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Raab.

Raab, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Raab surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Raab in America

Raab is the 6514th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Raab surname appeared 5,208 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Raab.

We can also compare 2010 data for Raab to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Raab

The surname RAAB is of German origin, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Middle High German word "rap" or "rabe," meaning "raven" or "crow." This suggests that the name may have initially been a nickname given to someone with dark hair or a swarthy complexion, resembling the plumage of a raven.

In the 17th century, the name RAAB appeared in various German records, including church registers and tax rolls, particularly in the regions of Bavaria and Saxony. One notable early bearer of the name was Johann Raab, a scholar and theologian born in Nuremberg in 1592, who authored several religious texts and served as a professor at the University of Altdorf.

The name RAAB is also linked to certain place names in Germany, such as Raab, a village in the state of Baden-Württemberg, and Raab, a town in the district of Schmalkalden-Meiningen in Thuringia. These place names may have influenced the spelling and spread of the surname in their respective regions.

In the 18th century, Johann Jakob Raab (1717-1779), a German painter and engraver, gained recognition for his portraits and religious works, which can be found in various churches and museums across Germany. Another notable bearer of the name was Johann Leonhard Raab (1736-1810), a German botanist and professor at the University of Erlangen, who made significant contributions to the study of plant taxonomy.

During the 19th century, the name RAAB continued to be prominent in German-speaking regions. One prominent figure was Gustav Raab (1823-1888), a German politician and journalist who served as a member of the Reichstag and actively advocated for workers' rights and social reforms.

In the field of science, Karl Raab (1834-1899) was a German physicist and engineer who pioneered the development of electrical lighting systems and contributed to the early work on electric motors and generators.

While the surname RAAB has its roots in Germany, it has also been adopted and spread to other parts of Europe and beyond due to migration patterns throughout history. Individuals bearing this name can be found in various countries today, with the name reflecting its rich German heritage and linguistic origins.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Raab

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Raab.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Raab was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Raab has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Raab was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Raab, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!