2000
#146,011
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Rakas
A surname derived from the Finnish word meaning beloved or dear.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 133 Americans carry the last name Rakas. That puts it at #145,028 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,577,100 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Rakas 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.
Bearers in the US
133
1 in 2,577,100
Census rank
#145,028
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
116
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 116 bearers of the surname Rakas in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 145028th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Rakas, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.9%) and Black (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Rakas
The surname RAKAS is of Lithuanian origin, with roots that can be traced back to the 16th century. It is believed to have originated in the Samogitia region of western Lithuania, an area known for its rich cultural heritage and linguistic traditions.
One of the earliest known references to the surname RAKAS can be found in the historical records of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which ruled over a vast territory spanning parts of present-day Lithuania, Belarus, and Poland. These records, dating back to the late 16th century, mention individuals bearing this surname, indicating its existence during that time period.
The surname RAKAS is thought to be derived from the Lithuanian word "rakas," which means "handyman" or "craftsman." This suggests that the name may have initially been associated with individuals who possessed skills in various trades or crafts, such as woodworking, metalworking, or masonry.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, the surname RAKAS began to appear more frequently in local parish records and census documents across Lithuania. One notable individual from this period was Jonas Rakas (1655-1712), a prominent merchant and landowner from the town of Kaunas, whose family played a significant role in the region's economic and cultural life.
As the Lithuanian population spread across eastern Europe, the surname RAKAS was carried to other regions, including present-day Belarus and Poland. In the 19th century, records show instances of individuals with this surname residing in the cities of Vilnius and Warsaw, among others.
Another notable figure bearing the surname RAKAS was Antanas Rakas (1810-1890), a Lithuanian writer and poet who contributed to the revival of Lithuanian literature during the 19th century. His works, which often explored themes of national identity and cultural preservation, played a crucial role in shaping the country's literary heritage.
Throughout the 20th century, the surname RAKAS continued to be represented in various fields, including academia, politics, and the arts. Juozas Rakas (1901-1978) was a Lithuanian linguist and professor who made significant contributions to the study of Baltic languages and folklore, while Jonas Rakas (1927-2003) was a prominent politician and diplomat who served as Lithuania's ambassador to several countries.
While these are just a few examples, the surname RAKAS has a rich and diverse history, spanning centuries and crossing geographical boundaries. Its origins in the Lithuanian culture and language have endured, serving as a testament to the resilience of a people and their traditions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Rakas
Among Census respondents with the surname Rakas, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.9%) and Black (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Rakas 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 Rakas surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.9% · 102
- Hispanic or Latino6.9% · 8
- Black or African American2.6% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.7% · 2
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Rakas
Rakas 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
#133,863
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 126
+22 bearers (+21.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 12,148 places
2020
#145,028
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
-10 bearers (-7.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 11,165 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #146,011 | 104 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #133,863 | 126 | 0.04 | +22 bearers (+21.2%) | Up 12,148 places |
| 2020 | #145,028 | 116 | 0.04 | -10 bearers (-7.9%) | Down 11,165 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 Rakas 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 | #133,863 | #145,028 | -8.3% |
| Count | 126 | 116 | -7.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -3.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Rakas bearers went from 126 to 116 (-7.9% change). The surname moved down 11,165 positions in the national ranking, going from #133,863 to #145,028.
FAQ
Rakas surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Rakas?
Name Census estimates that about 133 living Americans carry the surname Rakas. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,577,100 residents.
How common is Rakas?
Rakas ranks #145,028 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 116 people with the surname Rakas. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (133), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Rakas.
Has Rakas become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Rakas went from 126 recorded bearers to 116. That is a decrease of 10 (-7.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #133,863 to #145,028.
What does the Census say about the background of Rakas?
Among Census respondents with the surname Rakas, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.9%) and Black (2.6%). 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 Rakas in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.9% (102 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Rakas appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (87.9%), Hispanic (6.9%), Black (2.6%). 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 Rakas (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 Rakas mean?
A surname derived from the Finnish word meaning beloved or dear. 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 Rakas (0.04 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 Americans have the surname Rakas?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.