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

Rhynes, 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 Rhynes surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rhynes in America

Rhynes is the 22319th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rhynes surname appeared 1,155 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 Rhynes.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rhynes 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 Rhynes

The surname "RHYNES" is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, probably derived from a place name or a descriptive nickname. It may have come from a location with a name derived from the Old English words "ryn" or "ryne," meaning a small stream or watercourse.

Records from the 13th century show the name spelled as "Rynne" or "de Rynne," suggesting it may have initially referred to someone who lived near a small stream or rivulet. Variants like "Ryne" and "Rhyne" also appeared in historical documents from that era.

One of the earliest documented instances of the name is found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379, which lists a "Johannes de Ryne." This suggests the surname was already established in northern England by the late 14th century.

In the 16th century, the name "Rhynes" appeared in parish records from the county of Wiltshire, indicating the family's presence in the southern part of England as well. Notable individuals from this period include John Rhynes, a merchant from Bristol born around 1520.

During the 17th century, the name cropped up in various parts of England, such as Gloucestershire and Somerset. Thomas Rhynes, born in 1635 in Gloucestershire, was a prominent landowner and member of the local gentry.

As the British Empire expanded, the surname spread to other parts of the world. In the 18th century, William Rhynes, born in 1712 in Somerset, was one of the early settlers in the American colonies, establishing a family line in Virginia.

Another notable figure was Sir Richard Rhynes, born in 1785 in Wiltshire, who served as a British diplomat and played a significant role in negotiating treaties with various European powers in the early 19th century.

Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, the name continued to appear in various parts of England, as well as in the United States, Canada, and other former British territories. Prominent individuals during this period include the writer and poet Elizabeth Rhynes (1820-1902) from Cornwall, and the explorer and naturalist James Rhynes (1854-1928) from Yorkshire.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rhynes

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

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

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

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