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

Raven, 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 Raven surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Raven in America

Raven is the 9741st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Raven surname appeared 3,327 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 Raven.

We can also compare 2010 data for Raven 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 Raven

The surname Raven has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "hræfn," which means "raven," a type of black bird. This surname likely originated as a nickname for someone with dark hair or a swarthy complexion, resembling the raven's plumage.

In the Domesday Book, a historical record compiled in 1086 for William the Conqueror, there are several entries related to the name Raven or its variants. For instance, the name "Rauen" is mentioned in Suffolk, and "Rauene" is listed in Lincolnshire.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the Raven surname was Ralph Raven, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1195. Another early record is that of Roger Raven, who lived in Norfolk during the reign of King John, around 1200-1216.

The surname Raven can also be traced back to various place names in England, such as Ravenfield in Yorkshire, Ravenhall in Derbyshire, and Ravensden in Bedfordshire. These locations likely derived their names from the presence of ravens or raven-like birds in the area.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the Raven surname. One of them was John Raven (1562-1622), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Christ's College, Cambridge. Another was Thomas Raven (1610-1676), an English mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of celestial mechanics.

Another notable bearer of the Raven surname was John James Raven (1833-1906), an English architect and businessman who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Royal Aquarium and the Royal School of Mines.

In the literary realm, Julien Raven (1888-1972) was a British author and playwright known for his novels and plays set in the early 20th century.

Lastly, Bertram Raven (1926-2020) was an American psychologist renowned for his research on social power and interpersonal influence, including his formulation of the "bases of social power" theory.

These examples illustrate the long and diverse history of the Raven surname, which has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including clergy, academics, architects, authors, and psychologists.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Raven

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

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

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

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