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

Rahm, 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 Rahm surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rahm in America

Rahm is the 17385th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rahm surname appeared 1,624 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 Rahm.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rahm 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 Rahm

The surname Rahm is of German origin, with its roots traced back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old German word "rahm," which means "cream" or "froth." The name was likely given as a descriptive nickname to someone who worked with dairy products or had a complexion that resembled the color of cream.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Rahm surname can be found in the Palatinate region of Germany, where it was documented in the town records of Heidelberg in the late 1500s. During this time, the name was sometimes spelled as "Rahme" or "Rahmen," reflecting regional variations in pronunciation and spelling conventions.

In the early 17th century, the Rahm surname appeared in various German church records and tax rolls, indicating that families bearing this name were established in various parts of the country, including Bavaria, Saxony, and Westphalia.

A notable figure from this period was Johann Rahm (1580-1647), a German Lutheran theologian and professor at the University of Jena. He authored several influential works on theology and played a significant role in shaping the religious discourse of his time.

As German immigration to the United States began in the 18th century, the Rahm surname started to appear in American records. One of the earliest documented instances was Peter Rahm, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1749 from the Palatinate region.

In the 19th century, the Rahm name gained prominence with the birth of Christian Rahm (1802-1892), a German-American businessman and philanthropist. He founded the Rahm Soap Company in St. Louis, Missouri, which became one of the largest soap manufacturers in the Midwest.

Another notable figure was Jacob Rahm (1828-1915), a German-American entrepreneur and politician who served as the mayor of Rahway, New Jersey, from 1878 to 1880. The city of Rahway is said to have derived its name from his family's surname.

In more recent history, Rahm Emanuel (born 1959) is a prominent American politician and diplomat who served as the 55th Mayor of Chicago from 2011 to 2019 and was previously the Chief of Staff for President Barack Obama.

While the Rahm surname may not be as common as some other German names, it has left a lasting legacy across various fields, from academia and business to politics and public service, reflecting the diverse contributions of those who bore this name throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rahm

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

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

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

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