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

Rayl, 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 Rayl surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rayl in America

Rayl is the 15734th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rayl surname appeared 1,853 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 Rayl.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rayl 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 Rayl

The surname RAYL is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "rail," which referred to a type of fence or barrier made of wooden rails. This suggests that the name may have originally been an occupational name for someone who lived near or maintained a railed enclosure.

The earliest recorded mention of the RAYL surname dates back to the 13th century. In 1273, a Richard Rayl is listed in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire, an ancient census document. This record provides evidence that the name was already established in parts of England during the Middle Ages.

In the 14th century, the RAYL surname appears in various spellings, including Raile, Rayl, and Raylle, in various historical records across different counties in England. This variation in spelling was common during this period, as standardized spellings had not yet been established.

One notable individual with the RAYL surname was John Rayl, a prominent merchant from Bristol who lived in the late 15th century. He is mentioned in several historical documents related to trade and commerce in the city during that time.

In the 16th century, the RAYL surname can be found in the parish records of several English villages, indicating its spread across different regions. One example is the baptismal record of William Rayl, born in 1587 in the village of Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire.

During the 17th century, the RAYL surname gained further prominence with the birth of Robert Rayl (1632-1701), a notable English lawyer and judge who served as a Justice of the King's Bench. His legal career and contributions to the English justice system have been well-documented in historical records and legal texts.

Another significant figure with the RAYL surname was Samuel Rayl (1718-1783), an English clergyman and writer who authored several religious works and served as a vicar in various parishes throughout his lifetime.

By the 18th century, the RAYL surname had become well-established in various parts of England, with families bearing this name found in counties such as Derbyshire, Staffordshire, and Gloucestershire, among others.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rayl

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

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

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

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