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

Rhaney, 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 Rhaney surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rhaney in America

Rhaney is the 106570th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rhaney surname appeared 167 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 Rhaney.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rhaney 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 Rhaney

The surname Rhaney has its origins in Scotland, traced back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Gaelic word "ranach," meaning a bracken or fern, suggesting a connection to a location overgrown with such vegetation.

Early records indicate the name was prevalent in the Scottish Highlands, particularly in the regions of Argyll and Perthshire. Variations in spelling, such as Rannoch, Rannald, and Rannaldson, were common in those times.

One of the earliest documented references to the name can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1264, which mention a "Gilleconan Rannaldi." This suggests the name's existence in medieval Scotland.

The Rhaney surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such figure is James Rhaney (c. 1560-1628), a Scottish author and poet known for his work "The Palinode," published in 1603.

Another prominent bearer of the name was Sir Robert Rhaney (1675-1742), a Scottish military officer who served in the British Army during the War of the Spanish Succession. He played a crucial role in the Battle of Blenheim in 1704.

In the 19th century, William Rhaney (1810-1887) made significant contributions as a Scottish engineer and inventor. He is credited with developing an early version of the compound steam engine, which improved efficiency in steam power production.

The name Rhaney has also been linked to various place names in Scotland. For instance, the village of Rannoch in Perthshire is believed to have derived from the same Gaelic root as the surname, reflecting the connection between the name and the region.

Another notable figure was Margaret Rhaney (1891-1976), a Scottish suffragette and activist who campaigned tirelessly for women's rights and social reforms in the early 20th century.

While the Rhaney surname has its roots in Scotland, it has since spread to other parts of the world, carried by Scottish emigrants and their descendants. The name continues to hold historical significance and reflects the rich cultural heritage of its Scottish origins.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rhaney

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

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

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

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