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

Rauh, 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 Rauh surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rauh in America

Rauh is the 19166th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rauh surname appeared 1,417 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 Rauh.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rauh 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 Rauh

The surname RAUH originated in Germany, with its earliest known records dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old High German word "ruh," meaning rough or coarse, often referring to a person's physical appearance or demeanor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name RAUH can be found in the Codex Traditionum Ecclesiae Coloniensis, a medieval manuscript from the Archdiocese of Cologne, which mentions a "Rutgerus dictus Rauh" (Rutger called Rauh) in 1188.

During the Middle Ages, the name RAUH was prevalent in various regions of Germany, particularly in the areas around Cologne, the Rhineland, and parts of Bavaria. It is believed that the name may have originated as a nickname or descriptive term for individuals with a rugged or unkempt appearance.

In the 16th century, a notable bearer of the RAUH surname was Johannes Rauh (1540-1612), a German Lutheran theologian and professor at the University of Giessen. Another prominent figure was Andreas Rauh (1592-1656), a German Baroque composer and organist who served as the Kapellmeister at the court of the Dukes of Saxe-Weimar.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the RAUH name continued to spread across Germany, with several individuals making notable contributions in various fields. One such individual was Johann Friedrich Rauh (1672-1753), a German architect and engineer known for his work on fortifications and military architecture.

In the 19th century, Carl Rauh (1804-1882) was a German-American botanist and horticulturist who made significant contributions to the study of plant taxonomy and the cultivation of ornamental plants. He worked at the Botanical Garden in Berlin and later emigrated to the United States, where he served as the superintendent of the Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia.

Another notable bearer of the RAUH surname was Emilie Rauh (1847-1913), a German educator and women's rights activist who advocated for equal educational opportunities for girls and women in the late 19th century.

Over the centuries, the RAUH surname has also been associated with various place names and locations in Germany, such as Rauhe Gasse (Rough Alley) in Cologne, Rauhenebrach (Rough Brook) in Bavaria, and Rauhen Berge (Rough Mountains) in Lower Saxony, further solidifying its connection to the notion of ruggedness or coarseness.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rauh

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

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

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

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