Rasch last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Rasch

A German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) surname derived from the Middle High German word "rasch," meaning quick or vigorous.

Rasch, 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 Rasch surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rasch in America

Rasch is the 12597th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rasch surname appeared 2,457 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 Rasch.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rasch 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 12597 12549 0.38%
Count 2,457 2,265 8.13%
Proportion per 100k 0.83 0.84 -1.20%

The history of the last name Rasch

The surname Rasch originates from Germany, with its roots dating back to the Middle Ages. The earliest known spelling of the name was "Rasche," which is a derivative of the Old German word "rasc," meaning "quick" or "swift." This suggests that the name was initially bestowed upon someone who exhibited a nimble or agile nature.

The Rasch surname can be traced back to various regions across Germany, including Bavaria, Saxony, and Westphalia. It is believed that the name first emerged in the 12th century, with records indicating its presence in various medieval manuscripts and documents from that period.

One of the earliest documented mentions of the Rasch name can be found in the Annals of Augsburg, a chronicle of events in the city of Augsburg, dating back to the 13th century. The annals reference a certain "Johannes Rasche," who was a prominent citizen of Augsburg during that time.

In the 14th century, the Rasch name gained further prominence with the rise of a noble family from the region of Westphalia. The Rasch von Rittberg family held significant influence and power in the area, with several members serving as knights and military leaders during the Middle Ages.

One notable figure from this family was Friedrich Rasch von Rittberg (1380-1448), who fought alongside the Teutonic Knights in their campaigns against the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. His exploits and bravery on the battlefield were well-documented in historical records of the time.

Another prominent individual bearing the Rasch surname was Johann Rasch (1540-1612), a German humanist scholar and philosopher from Saxony. His works on moral philosophy and ethics were widely acclaimed during the Renaissance period, and he held a professorship at the University of Leipzig.

In the realm of the arts, the Rasch name was also represented by the German painter and engraver, Georg Philipp Rasch (1680-1748). Born in Nuremberg, his intricate etchings and engravings depicting biblical scenes and historical events were highly sought after by collectors across Europe.

As the Rasch surname spread throughout Germany and beyond, it also began appearing in various place names, such as the town of Raschau in Saxony, which likely derived its name from an early settler with the Rasch surname.

While the Rasch name has its roots firmly planted in German history, it has since been carried across the globe by numerous descendants, ensuring that the legacy of this ancient surname continues to endure.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rasch

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

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 Rasch was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 91.53% 2,249
Non-Hispanic Black Only 0.94% 23
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 1.10% 27
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.24% 6
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 2.08% 51
Hispanic Origin 4.11% 101

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 Rasch has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 91.53% 94.30% -2.98%
Black 0.94% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander 1.10% 0.93% 16.75%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.24% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races 2.08% 1.41% 38.40%
Hispanic 4.11% 2.30% 56.47%

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Rasch last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 8, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/rasch-surname-popularity/.

"Rasch last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/rasch-surname-popularity/. Accessed 8 November, 2024

Rasch last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/rasch-surname-popularity/.

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