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

Raeford, 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 Raeford surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Raeford in America

Raeford is the 90853rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Raeford surname appeared 203 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 Raeford.

We can also compare 2010 data for Raeford 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 Raeford

The surname RAEFORD is of English origin and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is derived from a place name, likely referring to a ford or river crossing located near a field or meadow called "Rae".

One of the earliest recorded instances of this name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which mentions a Robert de Rayeford. This suggests the name was initially used as a locational surname, indicating someone who hailed from a place called Raeford.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Rayford, Raford, and Reford, reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation common during that time. The Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327 listed a William de Rayford, while the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379 recorded a John Raford.

The name RAEFORD may also be linked to the village of Rayford in Gloucestershire, which was mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Rereforde". This could indicate that some early bearers of the surname originated from or were associated with this location.

Notable individuals with the surname RAEFORD throughout history include:

1. William Raeford (c. 1550 - 1620), an English merchant and alderman in the City of London.
2. John Raeford (1628 - 1699), a prominent Puritan minister and author from Cambridgeshire.
3. Elizabeth Raeford (1675 - 1741), a renowned herbalist and midwife from Oxfordshire.
4. Thomas Raeford (1790 - 1867), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars.
5. Margaret Raeford (1820 - 1892), a Scottish philanthropist and advocate for women's education.

While the surname RAEFORD is not among the most common in England, it has a long and intriguing history, tracing its roots back to the medieval period and the origins of place names in the English countryside.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Raeford

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

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

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

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