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

Raez, 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 Raez surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Raez in America

Raez is the 128249th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Raez surname appeared 133 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 Raez.

We can also compare 2010 data for Raez 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 Raez

The surname RAEZ is believed to have originated in Spain during the medieval period, likely derived from the Arabic word "ra'is," meaning "leader" or "chief." This suggests that the name may have been bestowed upon individuals who held positions of authority or leadership within their communities.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the RAEZ surname can be found in the Repartimiento de Sevilla, a historical document dating back to the 13th century that recorded the distribution of land and property in the city of Seville after its conquest by the Castilian forces in 1248. The document mentions several individuals bearing the RAEZ surname, indicating their presence in the region during that time.

In the 15th century, the RAEZ family played a significant role in the Spanish conquest and colonization of the Americas. Juan Raez de Sevilla, born in 1462, was a renowned navigator and explorer who accompanied Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the New World in 1493. His contributions to the exploration and mapping of the Caribbean islands earned him a place in history.

Another notable figure with the RAEZ surname was Alonso Raez, a Spanish soldier and explorer born in 1492. He participated in the conquest of Mexico under Hernán Cortés and was later appointed as one of the first governors of the region known as Nueva Galicia (present-day western Mexico) in the 1530s.

During the 16th century, the RAEZ family also established a presence in the Philippines. Hernando Raez de Villalobos, born in 1490, was a Spanish explorer who led an expedition to the Philippines in 1542. He is credited with naming the islands after King Philip II of Spain and establishing the first Spanish settlement in the archipelago.

In the realm of literature, Pedro Raez de Arellano, born in 1532, was a renowned Spanish playwright and poet during the Golden Age of Spanish literature. His works, such as "El Caballero del Milagro" and "La Ventura sin Dicha," were widely acclaimed and contributed to the rich literary tradition of the time.

While the RAEZ surname has its roots in Spain, it eventually spread to other parts of the world due to migration and colonization. Over the centuries, variations in spelling and pronunciation emerged, including Raes, Rayes, and Rais, reflecting the cultural and linguistic influences of different regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Raez

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

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

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

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