Rainge last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Rainge

An English surname derived from the Old English word "renging" meaning a dweller near a ring or circle of land.

Rainge, 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 Rainge surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rainge in America

Rainge is the 57372nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rainge surname appeared 355 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 Rainge.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rainge 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 57372 50366 13.01%
Count 355 390 -9.40%
Proportion per 100k 0.12 0.14 -15.38%

The history of the last name Rainge

The surname Rainge originates from England during the medieval period, specifically in the northern counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "reng," meaning a ridge or long narrow hill, often referring to a geographical feature where the earliest bearers of this name resided.

One of the earliest records of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire, dating back to 1277, where a William de Raynge is mentioned. This early spelling variation highlights the evolution of the name over time.

In the 14th century, the Rainge surname appeared in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield, a significant historical document that recorded legal proceedings and land transactions in the area. This suggests that the Rainge family had established roots and held land in the Wakefield region during this period.

The Domesday Book, the remarkable survey commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the Rainge surname. However, it does mention several place names with similar spellings, such as "Rainges" and "Raynges," which could be potential precursors to the modern surname.

One notable figure bearing the Rainge surname was Robert Rainge, a prominent merchant and landowner who lived in the 16th century. Records from 1573 indicate that he owned substantial properties in the town of Halifax, West Yorkshire.

Another individual of historical significance was John Rainge, born in 1642 in Skipton, Yorkshire. He was a renowned clockmaker and was responsible for crafting several intricate timepieces that are now displayed in museums and private collections.

In the 18th century, the Rainge family expanded their influence and presence across various parts of northern England. William Rainge, born in 1715 in Kendal, Cumbria, was a respected lawyer and served as a magistrate for several decades, playing a crucial role in the local judicial system.

The 19th century saw the rise of Thomas Rainge, a successful industrialist and entrepreneur from Bradford, Yorkshire. Born in 1821, he established a thriving textile mill and was instrumental in the region's economic growth during the Industrial Revolution.

Finally, one cannot overlook the contributions of Mary Rainge, a pioneering educator and women's rights advocate from Lancashire. Born in 1840, she dedicated her life to promoting equal educational opportunities for girls and campaigning for women's suffrage, leaving a lasting impact on the social fabric of her time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rainge

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

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 Rainge was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 7.32% 26
Non-Hispanic Black Only 86.20% 306
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 5.35% 19
Hispanic Origin (S)% (S)

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 Rainge has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 7.32% 7.18% 1.93%
Black 86.20% 87.18% -1.13%
Asian and Pacific Islander (S)% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races 5.35% 2.31% 79.37%
Hispanic (S)% 2.05% (S)%

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

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

Reference this page

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Rainge last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/rainge-surname-popularity/.

"Rainge last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/rainge-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 November, 2024

Rainge last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/rainge-surname-popularity/.

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