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

Raftis, 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 Raftis surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Raftis in America

Raftis is the 80131st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Raftis surname appeared 237 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 Raftis.

We can also compare 2010 data for Raftis 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 Raftis

The surname Raftis is believed to have originated in Ireland, with roots dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old Gaelic word "ráthach," which means "prosperous" or "fortunate." The name likely referred to a person who was considered prosperous or financially successful in their community.

Raftis is a variant spelling of the more common Irish surname Rafferty or Raftery. These surnames can be traced back to the ancient Irish families of Ó Rabhartaigh and Ó Raidhbheartaigh, which were prominent clans in the counties of Mayo and Galway.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Raftis surname appears in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the early 17th century. The annals mention a man named Muircheartach Ó Raidhbheartaigh, who was a notable chieftain in County Mayo in the 14th century.

In the 16th century, there are records of a prominent family of poets and storytellers named Ó Raidhbheartaigh, who were known for their skillful recitation of ancient Irish tales and legends. One notable member of this family was Eoghan Ó Raidhbheartaigh, a renowned poet who lived in County Galway in the late 16th century.

Another notable figure with the surname Raftis was Brian Raftery, a Catholic priest and philosopher who lived in the 17th century. He was born in County Galway around 1635 and was known for his writings on philosophy and theology.

In the 18th century, a man named John Raftery gained recognition as a talented Irish harper and composer. He was born in County Mayo around 1750 and is credited with preserving and promoting traditional Irish music during a time when it was in decline.

During the 19th century, a prominent Irish politician and member of Parliament named Patrick Rafferty represented the constituency of Carlow Borough. He was born in County Carlow in 1804 and served in the British House of Commons from 1852 to 1859.

While the surname Raftis has its roots in Ireland, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to Irish emigration. However, its origins can be traced back to the medieval Irish clans and families who bore variations of this name, reflecting their status and prosperity within their communities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Raftis

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

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

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

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