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

Rakestraw, 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 Rakestraw surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rakestraw in America

Rakestraw is the 11343rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rakestraw surname appeared 2,781 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Rakestraw.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rakestraw 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 Rakestraw

The surname Rakestraw is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "racu" meaning "stream" and "straw" meaning "straw". This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who lived near a stream of straw or reeds.

Rakestraw is a locational surname, meaning it was likely originally borne by someone who hailed from a place called Rakestraw or a similar variation. However, no definitive place of origin has been identified, as the name could have evolved from various locations across different regions of England.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Rakestraw can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, where a William Rakestraw is listed. This suggests that the name was already in use by the 14th century.

During the 16th century, the spelling variations of the name began to emerge, including Rackstraw, Rakestraw, and Raxtraw. These variations were likely influenced by local dialects and the inconsistent spelling conventions of the time.

Notable individuals bearing the Rakestraw surname throughout history include:

1. John Rakestraw (c. 1530-1605), an English landowner and member of Parliament for Hertfordshire during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

2. Thomas Rakestraw (1592-1670), an English clergyman and author of several religious treatises.

3. Mary Rakestraw (1645-1712), one of the first female silversmiths in London and a prominent member of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths.

4. William Rakestraw (1710-1781), a British soldier who served in the American Revolutionary War and was captured at the Battle of Yorktown.

5. Elizabeth Rakestraw (1825-1898), an English philanthropist and advocate for women's education, who founded several schools in her hometown of Nottingham.

While the Rakestraw surname may not be as widespread as some other English surnames, it has a rich history dating back to medieval times, with various branches and notable individuals contributing to its legacy over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rakestraw

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

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

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

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