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

Ralls, 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 Ralls surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ralls in America

Ralls is the 11430th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ralls surname appeared 2,756 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 Ralls.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ralls 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 Ralls

The surname Ralls is of English origin, with its roots traced back to the early 13th century in the northern counties of England. The name is believed to have derived from the Old English word 'ralles,' which referred to a strip of land or a boundary between two properties.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Ralls can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it appeared as 'Ralles.' This document was a survey of landowners in England commissioned by King Edward I. The name was also mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1301, indicating that the Ralls family had established itself in the region.

During the medieval period, the name Ralls was closely associated with the village of Ralls Green in Staffordshire. This village was mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as 'Ralles,' suggesting that the name had already been established in the area by that time.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname was Sir John Ralls, who lived in the 14th century and was a prominent landowner in Northumberland. Another notable figure was William Ralls (c. 1540-1602), a merchant and ship owner from Bristol, who played a significant role in establishing trade routes with the Americas.

In the 17th century, the Ralls family spread to various parts of England, with some members settling in London. One of the most renowned individuals from this period was Sir Benjamin Ralls (1642-1723), a successful businessman and philanthropist who became Lord Mayor of London in 1700.

As the British Empire expanded, the Ralls name also traveled to other parts of the world. Captain James Ralls (1768-1842) was a naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars and later became a prominent figure in the early settlement of Australia.

Another notable bearer of the name was the explorer and naturalist William Ralls (1820-1892), who led several expeditions to South America and made significant contributions to the study of botany and zoology.

Throughout its history, the Ralls surname has been associated with various occupations, including landowners, merchants, military personnel, and explorers. While the name has undergone some variations in spelling, such as Rawles and Rawlls, it has retained its distinct identity and continues to be a part of the rich tapestry of English surnames.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ralls

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

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

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

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