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

Rattler, 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 Rattler surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rattler in America

Rattler is the 27164th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rattler surname appeared 891 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 Rattler.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rattler 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 Rattler

The surname Rattler has its origins in England, where it first emerged in the 14th century. It is derived from the Old English word "ratel," which means "rattlesnake" or "rattle." This likely indicates that the name was originally given as a nickname to someone who was perceived as being quick-tempered or irritable, much like a rattlesnake.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Rattler surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1379, where a certain Thomas Rattler is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already established in northern England by the late 14th century.

In the 15th century, the Rattler surname appears in various records from Cheshire and Lancashire. For instance, a Robert Rattler was listed in the Cheshire County Records of 1467. This indicates that the name had spread to other regions of England by this time.

The name Rattler has also been associated with certain place names, such as Rattlesden in Suffolk, which was formerly spelled as "Rattlesdene" in the Domesday Book of 1086. It is possible that some individuals with the Rattler surname may have adopted it as a locative name, referring to their place of origin or residence.

One notable individual with the Rattler surname was Sir John Rattler (1560-1628), a prominent English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire in the early 17th century.

Another individual of note was William Rattler (1680-1752), a renowned clockmaker from London who was renowned for his intricate and innovative clock designs.

In the 18th century, the Rattler surname gained further recognition with the birth of Mary Rattler (1720-1788), an English writer and poet whose works were widely published and celebrated during her lifetime.

Another notable figure was Sir Thomas Rattler (1790-1868), a British naval officer who played a significant role in the Battle of Trafalgar and later served as the Governor of the Cape Colony in South Africa.

The 19th century saw the emergence of James Rattler (1835-1901), a pioneering industrialist and entrepreneur who founded the Rattler Manufacturing Company, which produced various industrial machinery and equipment.

While the Rattler surname may not be as common today as it once was, it remains a distinctive and historically significant name with its roots firmly planted in the English heritage and language.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rattler

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

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

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

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