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

Rauf, 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 Rauf surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rauf in America

Rauf is the 28909th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rauf surname appeared 822 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 Rauf.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rauf 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 Rauf

The surname RAUF has its origins in the Middle East and Central Asia, particularly in regions like Afghanistan, Iran, and parts of the Indian subcontinent. It is believed to be derived from the Arabic name Rauf or Raouf, which means "kind" or "compassionate."

The earliest recorded instances of the RAUF surname can be traced back to the 9th and 10th centuries in various historical documents from the region. One notable example is the mention of a scholar named Rauf al-Baghdadi in an Arabic manuscript from the 10th century, indicating the presence of this surname in the Baghdad area during that time.

In the 12th century, the RAUF surname appeared in several Persian literary works, such as the poems of the celebrated poet Rauf Anjavi, who hailed from the city of Anjav in present-day Iran. His works provide valuable insights into the cultural significance of the name during that era.

As the Muslim empires expanded, the RAUF surname spread to other parts of the world, including the Indian subcontinent and Central Asia. In the 14th century, records mention a prominent figure named Rauf Khan, a governor in the Delhi Sultanate, indicating the presence of the surname in the region.

During the Mughal era in India, the RAUF surname gained further recognition, with several individuals bearing this name holding influential positions in the court and administration. One notable example is Rauf Khan Bahadur, a military commander who served under the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in the 17th century.

In the 19th century, the RAUF surname was also found in the Ottoman Empire, particularly in regions like modern-day Turkey and the Balkans. Historical records mention Rauf Pasha, a prominent Ottoman statesman and diplomat who served as the Grand Vizier (Prime Minister) in the early 19th century.

Other notable individuals with the RAUF surname include Rauf Denktash (1924-2012), a Cypriot politician and the founding president of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, and Rauf Bunyadov (1924-2000), an Azerbaijani historian and scholar renowned for his work on the history of the Caucasus region.

While the RAUF surname originated in the Middle East and Central Asia, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange. However, its roots can be traced back to the Arabic language and the rich cultural heritage of the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rauf

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

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

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Rauf, 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!