Raymaker
A surname derived from an Old English word meaning "maker of rays" or "beam maker."
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 206 Americans carry the last name Raymaker. That puts it at #99,845 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.06 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,663,856 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Raymaker surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
206
1 in 1,663,856
Census rank
#99,845
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
181
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 181 bearers of the surname Raymaker in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.06 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 99845th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Raymaker, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.9%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (3.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Raymaker
The surname Raymaker has its origins in the Netherlands, dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be an occupational name derived from the Dutch words "ray" and "maker," referring to someone who produced or sold rays, which were a type of woolen cloth.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Raymaker can be found in Dutch municipal records from the late 1500s. In 1582, a merchant named Jacob Raymaker was mentioned in the town records of Amsterdam. Another notable early bearer of the name was Pieter Raymaker, a textile manufacturer from Utrecht, who lived in the early 1600s.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Raymaker surname was particularly prevalent in the provinces of South Holland and Utrecht, where many families were involved in the textile trade. One prominent figure from this era was Johannes Raymaker (1632-1701), a successful merchant and alderman in Rotterdam.
As the Dutch established colonies in the Americas, some Raymakers emigrated to the New World. In 1657, a man named Dirck Raymaker was listed among the early settlers of New Amsterdam (now New York City). Another early American bearer of the name was Hendrik Raymaker, who arrived in Pennsylvania from the Netherlands in 1683.
Other notable individuals with the surname Raymaker include:
1. Gerrit Raymaker (1768-1842), a Dutch painter known for his landscape and maritime scenes.
2. Willem Raymaker (1810-1879), a Dutch architect who designed several notable buildings in Amsterdam.
3. Cornelis Raymaker (1825-1892), a Dutch politician and lawyer who served as the Mayor of Rotterdam from 1868 to 1892.
4. Johanna Raymaker (1856-1924), a Dutch women's rights activist and one of the first female lawyers in the Netherlands.
5. Pieter Raymaker (1891-1962), a Dutch novelist and poet who wrote several acclaimed works exploring life in rural Netherlands.
While the name Raymaker has its roots in the textile industry of the Low Countries, it has since spread to other parts of the world through immigration and migration. However, its origins and connection to the Dutch language and culture remain an integral part of its history and meaning.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Raymaker
Among Census respondents with the surname Raymaker, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.9%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (3.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Raymaker bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Raymaker surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.9%
- Asian and Pacific Islander3.9%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Raymaker surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #99,845 | #99,845 | 0.0% |
| Count | 181 | 181 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Raymaker bearers went from 181 to 181 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #99,845 to #99,845.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Raymaker
FAQ
Raymaker surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Raymaker?
The surname Raymaker holds position #99,845 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 206 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.06 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Raymaker surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Raymaker, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.9%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (3.9%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.