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

Rafferty, 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 Rafferty surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rafferty in America

Rafferty is the 3802nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rafferty surname appeared 9,311 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Rafferty.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rafferty 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 Rafferty

The surname Rafferty originated in Ireland, with its earliest known roots dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to be an anglicized form of the Gaelic name Ó Rabhartaigh, which means "descendant of Rabhartach." Rabhartach was likely a personal name derived from the Old Irish word "rabarta," meaning "sport" or "frolic."

The Rafferty name is most commonly associated with County Donegal in Ulster, Ireland. Historical records suggest that the Rafferty clan was a prominent family in this region during the Middle Ages. The name appears in various medieval Irish manuscripts and annals, including the Annals of Ulster, which mention several members of the Rafferty family.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Rafferty name was Aodh Ó Rabhartaigh, who lived in the 14th century and was a chieftain of the Rafferty clan in County Donegal. Another notable figure was Ruaidhri Ó Rabhartaigh, who served as a member of the Irish Parliament in the 16th century.

As the Rafferty family spread throughout Ireland and beyond, the name underwent various spelling variations, including Raftery, Rafferty,Raverty, and Reverty. Some of these variations were influenced by anglicization, while others were regional adaptations.

In the 17th century, a branch of the Rafferty family settled in County Mayo, where they became prominent landowners. One notable member was John Rafferty, who was born in 1745 and served as a member of the Irish Parliament for County Mayo.

Other notable individuals with the Rafferty surname include:

1. Anthony Rafferty (1784-1854), an Irish-born American Catholic priest and educator.
2. Mary Rafferty (1884-1955), an Irish-American labor organizer and activist.
3. Geri Rafferty (1946-2011), an American jazz saxophonist and composer.
4. Patrick Rafferty (1957-2021), a Canadian playwright and screenwriter.
5. John Rafferty (1952-2018), an American football player who played for the Detroit Lions in the NFL.

The Rafferty surname has a rich history rooted in Ireland's ancient past, with connections to prominent figures and families throughout the centuries. While its spelling and regional variations have evolved over time, the name continues to hold significance as a marker of Irish heritage and identity.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rafferty

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

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

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

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