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

Rackley, 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 Rackley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rackley in America

Rackley is the 6229th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rackley surname appeared 5,488 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 Rackley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rackley 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 Rackley

The surname Rackley is of English origin, and it is believed to have originated in the late 12th or early 13th century. The name is derived from the Old English words "racu" or "racca," meaning a ridge, and "leah," meaning a meadow or clearing. This suggests that the name likely referred to someone who lived near a ridge or clearing.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Rackley can be found in medieval records from the county of Worcestershire, England. Some of the earliest variations of the spelling include "Rakeleia," "Rakuley," and "Rakelye." These variations were likely due to the inconsistencies in spelling and record-keeping during that time period.

One notable historical reference to the surname Rackley is found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from the year 1327, which mentions a "Robertus de Rakelye." This record suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by the 14th century.

In the 16th century, the surname Rackley began to spread beyond Worcestershire to other parts of England. One notable individual from this period was William Rackley (c. 1530-1595), a prominent landowner and merchant from the village of Alvechurch, Worcestershire.

During the 17th century, the Rackley family continued to establish itself in various parts of England. One prominent member was John Rackley (1612-1680), a wealthy landowner and magistrate from the town of Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire.

In the 18th century, the surname Rackley made its way across the Atlantic to the American colonies. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in America was that of Thomas Rackley (1725-1802), a farmer and Revolutionary War veteran from Virginia.

Another notable individual with the surname Rackley was Sir Ralph Rackley (1770-1842), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and was later knighted for his services.

Throughout the 19th century, the Rackley name continued to be found in various parts of England and the United States. One notable figure was Elizabeth Rackley (1832-1906), an English writer and activist who was a prominent advocate for women's rights and education.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rackley

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

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

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

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