2000
#11,605
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,481
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.92
Rare Last name
Railey
An occupational surname for a person who worked on or was associated with railways or railroad construction.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,793 Americans carry the last name Railey. That puts it at #12,201 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.81 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 122,719 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Railey surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Railey with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.8K
1 in 122,719
Census rank
#12,201
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,436 bearers of the surname Railey in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.81 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 12201st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Railey, the largest self-reported group is White at 70.9%. The next largest groups are Black (20.2%) and Two or More Races (4.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Railey
The surname Railey is believed to have originated in England, likely in the late medieval period or early modern era. It is thought to be a locational surname derived from a place name, possibly from a town or village called Railey or a similar spelling variation.
One theory suggests that the name Railey may have roots in Old English or Anglo-Saxon words related to geographical features or landmarks. Some linguists propose a connection to the Old English word "rægl," meaning "rail" or "bar," which could indicate a place near a railed enclosure or barrier.
Early records mentioning the surname Railey are scarce, but it is possible that the name appeared in parish registers, tax rolls, or other historical documents from the 16th or 17th centuries in various parts of England.
One of the earliest known bearers of the surname Railey was John Railey, who was born in Gloucestershire, England, around 1620. Records show that he migrated to the American colonies in the mid-17th century, settling in Virginia.
Another notable individual with the surname Railey was William Railey, born in Wiltshire, England, in 1682. He was a merchant and landowner who played a role in the development of trade and commerce in the early American colonies.
In the 18th century, Sarah Railey (1745-1818) gained recognition as a skilled weaver and textile artisan in Yorkshire, England. Her intricate tapestries and fabrics were highly sought after by the wealthy elite.
During the 19th century, Thomas Railey (1804-1876), a prominent architect from Dorset, England, made significant contributions to the design and construction of several notable buildings and landmarks in London.
Lastly, Elizabeth Railey (1879-1964), a British author and historian, is remembered for her extensive research and writings on the social and cultural history of rural England during the Victorian era.
While the surname Railey may have originated from a specific place name or geographical feature, it has since spread across various regions and countries, with individuals bearing this surname contributing to diverse fields throughout history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Railey
Among Census respondents with the surname Railey, the largest self-reported group is White at 70.9%. The next largest groups are Black (20.2%) and Two or More Races (4.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Railey bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Railey surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White70.9% · 1,728
- Black or African American20.2% · 493
- Two or more races4.2% · 102
- Hispanic or Latino3.4% · 82
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 19
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 12
Timeline
Historical Census data for Railey
Railey appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#9,940
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,246
+765 bearers (+30.8%)
Per 100,000 1.10
Rank movement Up 1,665 places
2020
#12,201
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,436
-810 bearers (-25.0%)
Per 100,000 0.81
Rank movement Down 2,261 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #11,605 | 2,481 | 0.92 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,940 | 3,246 | 1.10 | +765 bearers (+30.8%) | Up 1,665 places |
| 2020 | #12,201 | 2,436 | 0.81 | -810 bearers (-25.0%) | Down 2,261 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Railey surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #9,940 | #12,201 | -22.7% |
| Count | 3,246 | 2,436 | -25.0% |
| Per 100K | 1.10 | 0.81 | -25.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Railey bearers went from 3,246 to 2,436 (-25.0% change). The surname moved down 2,261 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,940 to #12,201.
FAQ
Railey surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Railey?
Name Census estimates that about 2,793 living Americans carry the surname Railey. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 122,719 residents.
How common is Railey?
Railey ranks #12,201 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.81 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,436 people with the surname Railey. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,793), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.81 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.81 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Railey.
Has Railey become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Railey went from 3,246 recorded bearers to 2,436. That is a decrease of 810 (-25.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #9,940 to #12,201.
What does the Census say about the background of Railey?
Among Census respondents with the surname Railey, the largest self-reported group is White at 70.9%. The next largest groups are Black (20.2%) and Two or More Races (4.2%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Railey in the 2020 Census, accounting for 70.9% (1,728 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Railey appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (70.9%), Black (20.2%), Two or More Races (4.2%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Railey (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Railey mean?
An occupational surname for a person who worked on or was associated with railways or railroad construction. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Railey (0.81 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Railey?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.