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

Raith, 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 Raith surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Raith in America

Raith is the 49546th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Raith surname appeared 424 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 Raith.

We can also compare 2010 data for Raith 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 Raith

The surname Raith has its origins in Germany and can be traced back to the 14th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old German word "reit," which means a clearing or an open space in a forest or wooded area. This suggests that the earliest bearers of this surname may have lived in or near such clearings.

The Raith name was particularly prevalent in the regions of Bavaria and Swabia in southern Germany. Historical records show that the name appeared in various forms, such as Rait, Raitt, Raith, and Reith, due to variations in spelling and local dialects.

One of the earliest recorded references to the Raith name can be found in the Codex Traditionum Ecclesiae Ratisbonensis, a medieval manuscript from the 14th century containing records of land transactions in the area around Regensburg, Bavaria. This document mentions individuals with the surname Raith or similar spellings.

In the 15th century, the Raith name appears in the town records of Augsburg, a prominent city in Bavaria. These records document several Raith families living and working in the area during that time period.

Notable individuals with the Raith surname throughout history include Johann Raith (1558-1626), a German Protestant theologian and author from Württemberg. Another prominent figure was Johann Georg Raith (1730-1800), a German physician and botanist who made significant contributions to the study of plant life in the region.

In the 19th century, Wilhelm Raith (1834-1900) was a German painter and lithographer known for his landscapes and architectural works. His contemporary, Karl Raith (1857-1927), was a German architect and professor who designed several notable buildings in Munich and other Bavarian cities.

The Raith surname also found its way into other parts of Europe through migration and trade. For example, in the 17th century, records show a family with the surname Raith settling in the Netherlands, where they established a successful business in the textile industry.

While the Raith name has its roots in southern Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to immigration and diaspora. However, the earliest and most significant historical references to this surname can be traced back to the regions of Bavaria and Swabia in Germany, where it originated centuries ago.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Raith

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

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

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

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