Raitt
A Scottish surname derived from a parish in Renfrewshire.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 583 Americans carry the last name Raitt. That puts it at #42,163 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.17 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 587,915 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Raitt surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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.
Bearers in the US
583
1 in 587,915
Census rank
#42,163
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
515
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 515 bearers of the surname Raitt in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.17 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 42163rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Raitt, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.3%) and Two or More Races (1.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Raitt
The surname RAITT is of Scottish origin, deriving from the Gaelic word "rath" meaning a fort or earthen rampart. It is believed to have originated in the Scottish Highlands around the 13th or 14th century.
The earliest recorded use of the name RAITT can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from the late 13th century, where it appears as "de Rath" or "de Rathe". This suggests that the name may have initially been a locational surname, referring to someone who lived near a fortified settlement or defensive earthwork.
In the 16th century, the name RAITT appears in various Scottish records and documents, often spelled as "Rait", "Raitt", or "Raith". One notable bearer of the name was John Raitt, a Scottish clergyman and writer who lived from 1572 to 1628.
The RAITT surname is also associated with several place names in Scotland, such as Raith in Fife and Raith in Aberdeenshire. These place names likely derived from the same Gaelic root word "rath", indicating the presence of ancient fortifications or earthworks in those areas.
Other notable individuals with the surname RAITT include:
1. Sir James Raitt (1622-1705), a Scottish landowner and politician who served as Lord Provost of Edinburgh.
2. Robert Raitt (1715-1784), a Scottish poet and writer from Renfrewshire.
3. Martha Raitt (1813-1890), a Scottish-born Canadian pioneer and educator who founded several schools in Upper Canada.
4. John Raitt (1917-2005), an American actor and singer best known for his roles in Broadway musicals like "The Pajama Game" and "Carousel".
5. Bonnie Raitt (born 1949), an American singer-songwriter and multi-Grammy Award winner, daughter of the Broadway star John Raitt.
While the surname RAITT has Scottish origins, it has spread to various parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and Australia, due to migration and diaspora over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Raitt
Among Census respondents with the surname Raitt, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.3%) and Two or More Races (1.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Raitt bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Raitt surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.2%
- Hispanic or Latino3.3%
- Two or more races1.6%
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Raitt surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #42,163 | #42,163 | 0.0% |
| Count | 515 | 515 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.17 | 0.17 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Raitt bearers went from 515 to 515 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #42,163 to #42,163.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Raitt
FAQ
Raitt surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Raitt?
The surname Raitt holds position #42,163 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 583 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.17 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Raitt surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Raitt, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.3%) and Two or More Races (1.6%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.