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

Rawley, 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 Rawley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rawley in America

Rawley is the 21218th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rawley surname appeared 1,237 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 Rawley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rawley 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 Rawley

The surname Rawley is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is believed to have been derived from the Old English word 'raw' or 'rau', meaning 'row' or 'rough'. It is thought to have been initially used as a topographic name for someone who lived near a row of houses or a rough terrain.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Rawley can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as 'Rawelai' in Hertfordshire, England. This entry suggests that the name may have originated as a place name before becoming a surname.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms such as 'Raweleye', 'Raweley', and 'Raueley' in county records and tax rolls across England. This variation in spelling was common during this period, as names were often written phonetically.

One notable bearer of the name Rawley was William Rawley (1588-1667), the personal chaplain and literary executor of Sir Francis Bacon. Rawley played a crucial role in preserving and publishing Bacon's works after his death.

Another significant figure with this surname was Sir Walter Rawley (1545-1626), an English explorer, writer, and one of the early English colonists of Virginia. He was instrumental in establishing the Roanoke Colony and is known for his work, "The History of the World".

In the 17th century, the name Rawley appeared in various church records and parish registers across England, including those of Rawley in Shropshire, which may have been the origin of the surname.

John Rawley (1762-1842) was a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and participated in several notable battles, including the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.

While the surname Rawley is not as common as some other English surnames, it has been carried by several notable individuals throughout history, reflecting its Anglo-Saxon roots and association with various places across England.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rawley

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

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

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

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