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

Rah, 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 Rah surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rah in America

Rah is the 82317th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rah surname appeared 229 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 Rah.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rah 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 Rah

The surname "RAH" is believed to have originated in the Middle East, specifically in the Arabian Peninsula, dating back to the 7th century AD. It is derived from the Arabic word "rāḥ," which means "rest" or "repose." This surname is thought to have been initially adopted by individuals who lived in areas known for their peaceful and tranquil environments.

The earliest recorded instances of the name "RAH" can be traced back to ancient Arabic manuscripts and historical records from the 8th century. One notable reference is found in the writings of the renowned Arab historian, Al-Tabari, who mentioned several individuals with the surname "RAH" in his chronicles of early Islamic history.

During the 10th century, the name "RAH" appeared in various medieval Arabic texts, including the works of the celebrated poets and scholars of that era. One such poet was Abu al-Faraj al-Isfahani (897-967 AD), who was known for his literary anthology titled "Kitab al-Aghani," which mentioned individuals with the surname "RAH."

In the 12th century, the name "RAH" gained prominence in the Levant region, particularly in what is now modern-day Syria and Lebanon. Historical records from that time period indicate the presence of influential families bearing the surname "RAH" in cities like Damascus and Aleppo.

Notable individuals throughout history who carried the surname "RAH" include:

1. Ahmad ibn Abi Rāh (fl. 9th century AD), a renowned Arab mathematician and astronomer.
2. Fatima bint Rāh (d. 1020 AD), a prominent Sufi mystic and scholar from Baghdad.
3. Khalid al-Rāh (1182-1249 AD), a high-ranking military commander and diplomat during the Ayyubid dynasty in Egypt and Syria.
4. Yusuf al-Rāh (1297-1367 AD), a celebrated Islamic jurist and legal scholar from Damascus.
5. Zaynab al-Rāh (1510-1585 AD), a renowned poet and calligrapher from the Ottoman Empire.

The surname "RAH" has also been linked to various place names and locations throughout the Middle East, such as the town of Rāh in modern-day Iran, and the village of Rāh al-Wadi in Lebanon. These place names may have influenced the adoption and spread of the surname in different regions over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rah

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

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

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

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