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

Rayburn, 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 Rayburn surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rayburn in America

Rayburn is the 4152nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rayburn surname appeared 8,532 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Rayburn.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rayburn 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 Rayburn

The surname Rayburn is of English origin, with its roots traced back to the late 12th century. Originally, it was derived from the Old English words "ra," meaning a roe or deer, and "burna," a stream or brook, indicating that the name was likely associated with a location near a stream frequented by deer.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1195, where it appears as "Rayburne." This suggests that the name had already established itself in that region by the late 12th century.

During the Middle Ages, the name was often spelled in various ways, such as Rayburn, Raeburn, Raiburn, and Raburn, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and regional dialects.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, where it was recorded as "Rayburne de Bampton." This reference indicates a connection between the name and the town of Bampton, suggesting that the family may have originated from or resided in that area.

One notable historical figure bearing the name was Sir Henry Rayburn (c. 1550-1625), a wealthy English merchant and Member of Parliament for Colchester in the early 17th century. He was known for his involvement in the Levant Company, which traded with the Ottoman Empire.

Another prominent individual was John Rayburn (1776-1859), an American politician and lawyer who served as a United States Representative from Pennsylvania from 1837 to 1843.

In the literary realm, Samuel Rayburn (1828-1905), an American Baptist minister and author, published several works, including "Rayburn's Complete Works" and "The Baptists: Their Origin, Principles, and Progress."

The name has also been associated with notable places, such as Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, D.C., named after the late Speaker of the House, Sam Rayburn (1882-1961), who served as a U.S. Representative from Texas for nearly 50 years.

Lastly, William Rayburn (1862-1936), a Scottish-born American painter, was known for his landscape and portrait works, particularly those depicting scenes from the American West.

While the surname Rayburn may have evolved from its Old English roots, it has maintained a presence throughout history, with various notable individuals contributing to its legacy across different fields and regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rayburn

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

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

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

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