2000
#135,837
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Rankey
An anglicized form of the German surname Ranke, meaning a vine, tendril, or climbing plant.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 125 Americans carry the last name Rankey. That puts it at #150,205 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,742,035 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Rankey 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
125
1 in 2,742,035
Census rank
#150,205
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
109
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 109 bearers of the surname Rankey in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150205th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Rankey, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Rankey
The surname Rankey is believed to have originated in England, with its roots dating back to the medieval period. The name is thought to have derived from the Old English word "ranc," meaning "proud" or "haughty," which may have been used as a descriptive nickname for someone with a proud or arrogant demeanor.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rankey can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landowners and their properties commissioned by William the Conqueror. The entry mentions a landowner named Ranke, which is believed to be an early spelling variation of the surname.
During the 13th century, the name appears to have been concentrated in the counties of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire, where various records mention individuals bearing the name Rankey or similar spellings, such as Ranke, Ranki, and Rankei. One notable example is William Rankey, a landowner from Oxfordshire who was recorded in the Pipe Rolls of 1225.
As the centuries progressed, the surname Rankey spread to other parts of England, and variations in spelling became more prevalent. In the 16th century, records from the county of Berkshire mention a John Ranky, a wealthy merchant who was involved in the wool trade.
The 17th century saw the emergence of several notable figures with the surname Rankey. One such individual was Thomas Rankey (1620-1698), a renowned scholar and theologian who served as the Rector of Aldbourne in Wiltshire. Another prominent figure was Elizabeth Rankey (1655-1722), a renowned author and poet whose works were widely acclaimed during her lifetime.
In the 18th century, the name Rankey was associated with several prominent military figures. Captain William Rankey (1725-1792) was a highly decorated naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War. Meanwhile, Major General John Rankey (1745-1820) was a distinguished soldier who fought in the Napoleonic Wars and was awarded several honors for his bravery and leadership on the battlefield.
As the centuries passed, the Rankey surname continued to be prevalent throughout England, with various branches of the family establishing themselves in different regions. While the spelling and pronunciation may have evolved over time, the name's origins as a descriptive nickname reflecting a sense of pride or arrogance remain deeply rooted in its historical significance.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Rankey
Among Census respondents with the surname Rankey, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Rankey 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 Rankey surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.6% · 102
- Hispanic or Latino3.7% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.8% · 2
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Rankey
Rankey 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
#154,907
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
-9 bearers (-7.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 19,070 places
2020
#150,205
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
+4 bearers (+3.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 4,702 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #135,837 | 114 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #154,907 | 105 | 0.04 | -9 bearers (-7.9%) | Down 19,070 places |
| 2020 | #150,205 | 109 | 0.04 | +4 bearers (+3.8%) | Up 4,702 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 Rankey 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 | #154,907 | #150,205 | 3.0% |
| Count | 105 | 109 | 3.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -8.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Rankey bearers went from 105 to 109 (+3.8% change). The surname moved up 4,702 positions in the national ranking, going from #154,907 to #150,205.
FAQ
Rankey surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Rankey?
Name Census estimates that about 125 living Americans carry the surname Rankey. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,742,035 residents.
How common is Rankey?
Rankey ranks #150,205 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 109 people with the surname Rankey. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (125), 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 Rankey.
Has Rankey become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Rankey went from 105 recorded bearers to 109. That is an increase of 4 (+3.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #154,907 to #150,205.
What does the Census say about the background of Rankey?
Among Census respondents with the surname Rankey, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%). 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 Rankey in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.6% (102 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Rankey appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.6%), Hispanic (3.7%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%). 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 Rankey (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 Rankey mean?
An anglicized form of the German surname Ranke, meaning a vine, tendril, or climbing plant. 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 Rankey (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 people have the surname Rankey?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.