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

Ragster, 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 Ragster surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ragster in America

Ragster is the 152628th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ragster surname appeared 107 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 Ragster.

The history of the last name Ragster

The surname "Ragster" is of English origin, originating in the early 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "ræg," meaning "rag" or "tatter," and the suffix "-ster," which was commonly used to denote an occupation or trade. This suggests that the name "Ragster" may have been initially given to someone who dealt with rags or worked in the textile industry, such as a rag merchant or a recycler of cloth scraps.

One of the earliest known records of the name "Ragster" can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, where it appears as "Raggestere." This document was a survey of landowners in England, ordered by King Edward I. The mention of the name in this historical record indicates that the family was already well-established in England by the late 13th century.

In the 14th century, the surname appears in various spellings, such as "Raggester," "Raggister," and "Raggster," in various records across different regions of England. One notable mention is in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1379, where a John Raggester is listed as a taxpayer.

The earliest known record of the name "Ragster" in its current spelling dates back to the late 15th century. In the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1494, a William Ragster is recorded as a resident of Oxfordshire.

Throughout the centuries, the Ragster surname has been associated with several notable individuals. One of the earliest was Robert Ragster (c. 1450-1520), a prosperous merchant from London who was involved in the wool trade. Another prominent figure was Elizabeth Ragster (1612-1683), a Puritan writer and poet from Essex, known for her religious works and her advocacy for women's education.

In the 18th century, John Ragster (1720-1802) was a renowned clockmaker from Yorkshire, whose intricate timepieces were highly sought after by the wealthy elite of the time. Later, in the 19th century, Henry Ragster (1842-1911) was a prominent industrialist from Manchester, known for his innovative textile manufacturing techniques.

Another notable bearer of the Ragster name was Sir William Ragster (1875-1954), a British diplomat and statesman who served as the Governor of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) from 1920 to 1925.

While the surname "Ragster" may have originated from a humble occupation, it has been carried by individuals from various walks of life throughout history, spanning across different regions of England and even beyond, leaving an indelible mark on the annals of British history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ragster

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

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 Ragster 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.

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

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

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