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

Rayfield, 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 Rayfield surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rayfield in America

Rayfield is the 12659th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rayfield surname appeared 2,443 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 Rayfield.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rayfield 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 Rayfield

The surname Rayfield is believed to have originated in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is thought to be a locational name, derived from a place name such as "Rayfield" or "Reyfield," which likely referred to a cleared or open field near a stream or watercourse.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which listed a Robert de Rayfeld in Oxfordshire. This suggests that the name was already established in that region by the late 13th century.

Another early reference to the name appears in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379, which mentions a John Rayfeld. This record provides evidence of the name's presence in northern England during the 14th century.

The Rayfield surname has also been connected to the Domesday Book of 1086, which recorded landholders and their properties across England. While the name itself does not appear in the Domesday Book, some historians believe that it may have derived from place names mentioned in the survey, such as Rayleigh in Essex or Raleigh in Devon.

Notable individuals with the surname Rayfield throughout history include:

1. Sir Walter Rayfield (c. 1540-1609), an English landowner and Member of Parliament for Northamptonshire.
2. John Rayfield (c. 1580-1648), an English clergyman who served as the Archdeacon of Essex from 1636 to 1648.
3. William Rayfield (c. 1620-1677), an English Puritan minister and author who wrote several theological works.
4. Thomas Rayfield (c. 1680-1738), an English architect known for his work on several churches and country houses in the early 18th century.
5. Mary Rayfield (1865-1941), an American educator and women's rights activist who founded the Rayfield School for Girls in New York City.

The name Rayfield has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Rayfield in Hertfordshire, Rayfield in Buckinghamshire, and Rayfield Farm in Oxfordshire. These place names may have contributed to the spread and adoption of the surname in different parts of the country.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rayfield

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

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

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

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