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

Ragin, 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 Ragin surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ragin in America

Ragin is the 12208th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ragin surname appeared 2,551 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Ragin.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ragin 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 Ragin

The surname Ragin is of Scottish origin, with roots tracing back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Scottish Gaelic word "rag," meaning "a stiff, bristly mane or tuft of hair." This suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive nickname for someone with unkempt or unruly hair.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a historical document containing the names of Scottish nobles who swore fealty to King Edward I of England. This document mentions a John Ragin from Lanarkshire, indicating the name's presence in Scotland during that time period.

In the 17th century, the Ragin surname appeared in various parish records across Scotland, particularly in the regions of Ayrshire, Lanarkshire, and Renfrewshire. These records often included variations in spelling, such as Ragyn, Raggyn, and Raigin, reflecting the fluidity of name spellings in those times.

Notable individuals with the Ragin surname include William Ragin (1656-1723), a Scottish merchant and banker who established a successful trading company in Glasgow. Another prominent figure was Robert Ragin (1720-1798), a renowned scholar and philosopher who made significant contributions to the Scottish Enlightenment.

In the 19th century, the Ragin name gained further recognition with the birth of Margaret Ragin (1845-1912), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights in Scotland. She founded several schools and played a crucial role in promoting equal educational opportunities for girls.

Other notable bearers of the Ragin surname include James Ragin (1870-1945), a Scottish-born explorer who led several expeditions to the Arctic regions, and William Ragin (1892-1963), a celebrated painter renowned for his landscapes depicting the rugged beauty of the Scottish Highlands.

While the Ragin surname originated in Scotland, it has since spread to other parts of the world through immigration and migration. However, its roots can be traced back to the Scottish Gaelic language and the descriptive nature of surnames in that era.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ragin

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

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

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

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