2000
#8,762
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,450
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.28
Rare Last name
Rankins
A Scottish and Irish occupational surname derived from the Middle English word "ranker," meaning a border ranger or marshal.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,212 Americans carry the last name Rankins. That puts it at #8,590 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.23 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 81,376 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Rankins 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
4.2K
1 in 81,376
Census rank
#8,590
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.7K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,673 bearers of the surname Rankins in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.23 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 8590th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Rankins, the largest self-reported group is Black at 68.1%. The next largest groups are White (21.8%) and Two or More Races (6.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Rankins
The surname Rankins originated in Scotland, with roots dating back to the 12th century. The name is derived from the Old English word "rancan," meaning "rank" or "proud," and was initially given as a nickname to someone with a haughty or arrogant demeanor.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a historical record of Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The entry mentions a "Thomas Rankyn" from Berwickshire, suggesting the name's presence in the Scottish Borders region during that time.
In the 15th century, the Rankins surname began to spread across Scotland, with records indicating families bearing the name in various regions, including Fife, Lanarkshire, and Ayrshire. The name also appeared in different spellings, such as Rankin, Ranking, and Rankine, due to the inconsistencies in record-keeping during that era.
One notable figure from Scottish history was Sir John Rankin (1535-1606), a prominent merchant and burgess of Edinburgh. He played a significant role in the city's trade and commerce, and his descendants continued to be influential in the region for generations.
Another historical figure was Reverend Thomas Rankin (1738-1810), a Methodist minister from Dunbar, Scotland, who became a prominent figure in the Methodist movement in America. He established numerous Methodist societies throughout the colonies and played a crucial role in the church's expansion during the late 18th century.
In the literary world, James Rankin (1806-1888) was a Scottish poet and author, best known for his collection of poems titled "A Garland of Verse" and his novel "The Life of Robert Bruce." He was born in Crail, Fife, and his works celebrated Scottish culture and history.
As the Rankins surname spread beyond Scotland, it found its way to England and Ireland, where it continued to be used. One notable English bearer of the name was William Rankin (1817-1891), a civil engineer who played a significant role in the construction of several railways and bridges in the 19th century.
In Ireland, the Rankins surname was particularly prevalent in County Antrim, where it was associated with several notable families. One such family was the Rankins of Braidwood, who owned significant land holdings in the region and were influential in local affairs.
Throughout history, the Rankins surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including clergymen, merchants, poets, engineers, and landowners. While its origins can be traced back to Scotland, the name has since spread across the British Isles and beyond, reflecting the rich tapestry of cultural and historical influences that have shaped its journey.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Rankins
Among Census respondents with the surname Rankins, the largest self-reported group is Black at 68.1%. The next largest groups are White (21.8%) and Two or More Races (6.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Rankins 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 Rankins surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American68.1% · 2,500
- White21.8% · 801
- Two or more races6.7% · 245
- Hispanic or Latino2.5% · 90
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 30
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.2% · 7
Timeline
Historical Census data for Rankins
Rankins 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
#8,634
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,809
+359 bearers (+10.4%)
Per 100,000 1.29
Rank movement Up 128 places
2020
#8,590
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,673
-136 bearers (-3.6%)
Per 100,000 1.23
Rank movement Up 44 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #8,762 | 3,450 | 1.28 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #8,634 | 3,809 | 1.29 | +359 bearers (+10.4%) | Up 128 places |
| 2020 | #8,590 | 3,673 | 1.23 | -136 bearers (-3.6%) | Up 44 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 Rankins 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 | #8,634 | #8,590 | 0.5% |
| Count | 3,809 | 3,673 | -3.6% |
| Per 100K | 1.29 | 1.23 | -4.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Rankins bearers went from 3,809 to 3,673 (-3.6% change). The surname moved up 44 positions in the national ranking, going from #8,634 to #8,590.
FAQ
Rankins surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Rankins?
Name Census estimates that about 4,212 living Americans carry the surname Rankins. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 81,376 residents.
How common is Rankins?
Rankins ranks #8,590 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.23 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,673 people with the surname Rankins. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,212), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.23 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.23 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Rankins.
Has Rankins become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Rankins went from 3,809 recorded bearers to 3,673. That is a decrease of 136 (-3.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #8,634 to #8,590.
What does the Census say about the background of Rankins?
Among Census respondents with the surname Rankins, the largest self-reported group is Black at 68.1%. The next largest groups are White (21.8%) and Two or More Races (6.7%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Rankins in the 2020 Census, accounting for 68.1% (2,500 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Rankins appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (68.1%), White (21.8%), Two or More Races (6.7%). 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 Rankins (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 Rankins mean?
A Scottish and Irish occupational surname derived from the Middle English word "ranker," meaning a border ranger or marshal. 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 Rankins (1.23 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 Rankins?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.