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

Rasay, 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 Rasay surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rasay in America

Rasay is the 100791st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rasay surname appeared 179 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Rasay.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rasay 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 Rasay

The surname Rasay originated in Scotland and can be traced back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old Norse name Rassi, which means "son of the traveler." The name was first recorded on the Isle of Rasay, one of the Scottish Hebrides islands, where it was likely adopted as a locational surname by the island's inhabitants.

One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Book of Islay, a 16th-century manuscript that recorded the genealogies of the Lords of the Isles and their followers. The document mentions several individuals with the surname Rasay, indicating its widespread use among the island's population at the time.

In the 17th century, the name appeared in various historical records, including the Register of the Privy Seal of Scotland, which documented legal transactions and official appointments. Among those mentioned were John Rasay, a landowner on the Isle of Rasay, and Malcolm Rasay, a merchant from the nearby Isle of Skye.

The 18th century saw the emergence of several notable individuals bearing the Rasay surname. One such figure was Robert Rasay (1702-1778), a Scottish poet and Jacobite sympathizer who wrote several works celebrating the Stuart cause. Another was John Rasay (1730-1803), a renowned explorer and navigator who served as a captain in the British Royal Navy and participated in several voyages of discovery.

In the 19th century, the Rasay surname continued to be associated with prominent figures. One example was Alexander Rasay (1820-1892), a Scottish engineer and inventor who developed several innovative designs for steam engines and other industrial machinery. Additionally, there was James Rasay (1841-1917), a successful businessman and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the development of his hometown in the Scottish Highlands.

Throughout its history, the Rasay surname has also been linked to various place names and their historical spellings. For instance, the Isle of Rasay was formerly known as "Ratharsair" or "Raasay," reflecting the linguistic evolution of the name over time. Similarly, the nearby village of Portree, located on the Isle of Skye, was once referred to as "Port Righ," meaning "king's port" in Gaelic.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rasay

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

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

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

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