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

Rachford, 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 Rachford surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rachford in America

Rachford is the 56710th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rachford surname appeared 360 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Rachford.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rachford 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 Rachford

The surname Rachford is believed to have originated in England during the medieval era, specifically in the county of Lancashire. It is thought to be a locational surname, derived from a place name that likely referred to a ford or crossing point on a stream or river.

One theory suggests that the name Rachford may have evolved from the Old English words "ræce" meaning "stream" and "ford" meaning "a shallow place where a river or stream can be crossed." This combination could have initially described a settlement or location near a fordable stream.

Another possibility is that the name is derived from the Old English personal name "Racca" or "Raccha," combined with the word "ford." This would suggest that the name originally referred to a ford associated with an individual named Racca or Raccha.

While there are no definitive records of the earliest use of the surname Rachford, it is believed to have been well-established in Lancashire by the 13th or 14th century. Some early variations in spelling included Racheford, Racheforde, and Rachaford.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Lancashire Inquests of 1310, which mentions a Robert de Racheford. Another notable early reference is in the Lancashire Wills and Inventories of 1548, which includes the name John Rachford.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have carried the Rachford surname, including:

1. Sir Thomas Rachford (c. 1510 - 1586), an English politician and landowner who served as Sheriff of Lancashire in 1554.
2. William Rachford (1587 - 1652), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Archdeacon of Suffolk from 1640 until his death.
3. Susanna Rachford (1628 - 1710), an English Quaker writer and preacher who traveled extensively throughout Britain and the American colonies.
4. John Rachford (1671 - 1743), a prominent merchant and ship owner from Liverpool, England, who played a significant role in the city's maritime trade.
5. Richard Rachford (1818 - 1892), a British engineer and inventor who patented several improvements to steam engine design and manufacturing processes.

While the Rachford surname is not among the most common in England, it has a rich history deeply rooted in the county of Lancashire, serving as a reminder of the region's linguistic and geographical influences on the development of English surnames.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rachford

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

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 Rachford 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 Rachford 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 Rachford was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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