NameCensus.

UK surname

Rainey

Derived from a place name or from an Old French word referring to someone who lived near a boundary.

In the 1881 census there were 470 people recorded with the Rainey surname, ranking it #7,098 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,502, ranked #4,120, up from #7,098 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Spilsby, West Keal, Stickford, Lusby (incl. Lusby allotments). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include IZ12, IZ14 and IZ11.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rainey is 1,574 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 219.6%.

1881 census count

470

Ranked #7,098

Modern count

1,502

2016, ranked #4,120

Peak year

2010

1,574 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rainey had 470 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,098 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,502 in 2016, ranked #4,120.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 742 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Rainey surname distribution map

The map shows where the Rainey surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Rainey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rainey over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 263 #8,439
1861 historical 288 #8,743
1881 historical 470 #7,098
1891 historical 598 #6,402
1901 historical 742 #5,991
1911 historical 629 #6,594
1997 modern 1,477 #3,964
1998 modern 1,519 #4,000
1999 modern 1,547 #3,972
2000 modern 1,539 #3,975
2001 modern 1,487 #4,009
2002 modern 1,537 #3,994
2003 modern 1,478 #4,048
2004 modern 1,473 #4,066
2005 modern 1,478 #4,011
2006 modern 1,485 #3,994
2007 modern 1,491 #4,018
2008 modern 1,507 #4,015
2009 modern 1,521 #4,070
2010 modern 1,574 #4,014
2011 modern 1,526 #4,093
2012 modern 1,478 #4,139
2013 modern 1,495 #4,168
2014 modern 1,529 #4,107
2015 modern 1,519 #4,093
2016 modern 1,502 #4,120

Geography

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Where Raineys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Spilsby, West Keal, Stickford, Lusby (incl. Lusby allotments), Chedzoy and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to IZ12, IZ14, IZ11, IZ16 and Newcastle upon Tyne. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Spilsby, West Keal, Stickford, Lusby (incl. Lusby allotments) Lincolnshire
4 Chedzoy Somerset
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 IZ12 West Dunbartonshire
2 IZ14 West Dunbartonshire
3 IZ11 West Dunbartonshire
4 IZ16 West Dunbartonshire
5 Newcastle upon Tyne 008 Newcastle upon Tyne

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rainey

These lists show first names that appear often with the Rainey surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rainey

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Rainey, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Rainey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Rainey household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Rainey is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Rainey is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Rainey falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Rainey is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

This describes the area pattern most associated with Rainey, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Rainey

The surname Rainey is of Anglo-Saxon origin, derived from the Old English word "regn" meaning rain. It was originally a descriptive name given to someone who lived near a rainy area or whose land was prone to heavy rainfall.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rainey can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Reigni" and "Reigney". This suggests that the name was well-established in parts of England by the 11th century.

During the Middle Ages, the name was commonly spelled as "Rayne", "Raynee", and "Rayney". It was particularly prevalent in the counties of Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Staffordshire, where many places bore names derived from the Old English word "regn", such as Rainhill, Rainford, and Rainow.

Noteworthy historical figures with the surname Rainey include Sir Thomas Rainey (c. 1510-1582), an English politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1573. Another prominent bearer of the name was Sir William Rainey (1587-1655), an English landowner and Member of Parliament for Aldborough.

In Scotland, the Rainey family can trace their roots to the 16th century, with records indicating that a John Rainey was a burgess of Aberdeen in 1568. The name was also present in Ireland, where it is believed to have been introduced by English settlers during the Plantation of Ulster in the 17th century.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Rainey was Sir William Rainey Harper (1856-1906), an American academic and the first president of the University of Chicago. Other notable Raineys include Thomas Rainey (1843-1876), an American soldier and recipient of the Medal of Honor during the American Civil War, and Freda Rainey (1887-1963), an American archaeologist and anthropologist who conducted extensive research in Alaska.

Throughout history, the surname Rainey has been associated with various industries, professions, and walks of life, reflecting the diverse backgrounds of those who bore this name. From politicians and landowners to academics and soldiers, the Rainey family has left an indelible mark on the annals of history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rainey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rainey surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Somerset leads with 77 Raineys recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.39x.

County Total Index
Somerset 77 10.39x
Lancashire 51 0.93x
Lincolnshire 47 6.38x
Lanarkshire 45 3.02x
Yorkshire 40 0.88x
Middlesex 32 0.70x
Surrey 21 0.94x
Warwickshire 19 1.64x
Renfrewshire 18 5.04x
Durham 17 1.24x
Gloucestershire 15 1.66x
Staffordshire 13 0.84x
Cheshire 12 1.18x
Northamptonshire 11 2.54x
Devon 9 0.94x
Wigtownshire 9 14.72x
Northumberland 8 1.17x
Dorset 4 1.32x
Hampshire 4 0.42x
Ayrshire 3 0.87x
Perthshire 3 1.45x
Dunbartonshire 2 1.62x
Midlothian 2 0.32x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.32x
Banffshire 1 1.05x
Bedfordshire 1 0.42x
Channel Islands 1 0.73x
Derbyshire 1 0.14x
Essex 1 0.11x
Oxfordshire 1 0.35x
Royal Navy 1 1.82x
Rutland 1 2.96x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bridgewater in Somerset leads with 22 Raineys recorded in 1881 and an index of 109.34x.

Place Total Index
Bridgewater 22 109.34x
Barony 17 4.51x
Aston 16 5.00x
Chedzoy 14 2500.00x
Govan 13 3.53x
North Petherton 13 217.39x
Spilsby 12 512.82x
Tintwistle 12 220.99x
Louth 11 65.20x
Wellingborough 11 50.53x
Liverpool 10 3.01x
Preston 10 6.84x
Bethnal Green London 9 4.50x
Great Wyrley 9 532.54x
Moorlinch 9 2307.69x
Barrow In Furness 7 9.42x
Bothwell 7 17.34x
Camberwell 7 2.38x
Croydon 7 5.62x
Glasgow 7 2.65x
Hogsthorpe 7 614.04x
Leswalt 7 167.06x
Nether Hallam 7 11.34x
Bedlington 6 26.24x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 6 7.06x
Cheltenham 6 8.61x
Edmonton 6 16.17x
Halifax 6 8.96x
Hundleby 6 606.06x
Lambeth 6 1.49x
Lyncombe Widcombe 6 30.93x
Skirbeck Quarter 6 444.44x
West Greenock 6 9.37x
Chorlton On Medlock 5 5.76x
Huntspill 5 165.02x
Lamesley 5 67.84x
Leeds 5 1.94x
Thornhill 5 37.57x
Abbey 4 7.35x
Bradford 4 3.62x
Brandon Byshottles 4 23.31x
Harton 4 73.94x
Hunslet 4 5.62x
Kensington London 4 1.56x
Kilbarchan 4 36.90x
Manchester 4 1.63x
West Derby 4 2.50x
Wimborne Minster 4 81.80x
Aldershot 3 9.49x
Bilston 3 9.96x
Holy Trinity St Mary 3 43.17x
Lecropt 3 309.28x
Royton 3 17.95x
Sculcoates 3 4.15x
Totnes 3 53.48x
Acaster Malbis 2 476.19x
Bath St James 2 25.87x
Birmingham 2 0.52x
Cathcart 2 10.36x
Dumbarton 2 11.61x
East Greenock 2 5.94x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 2 0.81x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 2 3.37x
Higher Booths 2 20.30x
Holmside 2 59.17x
Kilbirnie 2 24.18x
Kirkdale 2 2.18x
Longbenton 2 6.89x
Poplar London 2 2.30x
Spalding 2 13.69x
St George Hanover 2 3.33x
St Pancras London 2 0.54x
Stoke Damerel 2 2.98x
Wembdon 2 91.32x
Beswick 1 7.16x
Carisbrooke 1 7.63x
Coleshill 1 26.88x
Seavington St Mary 1 208.33x
St Marylebone London 1 0.41x
Weston Super Mare 1 5.34x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Rainey surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 23
Elizabeth 12
Catherine 10
Sarah 10
Annie 8
Clarissa 7
Ann 5
Eliza 4
Ellen 4
Esther 4
Jane 4
Kate 4
Margaret 4
Agnes 3
Anna 3
Bridget 3
Caroline 3
Clara 3
Emily 3
Emma 3
Louisa 3
Maria 3
Ada 2
Alice 2
Charlotte 2
Edith 2
Eva 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Hannah 2
Isabella 2
Mabel 2
Martha 2
Maud 2
Rebecca 2
Rosa 2
Amy 1
Beatrice 1
Bessie 1
Eleanor 1
Elizebeth 1
Elizth. 1
Elzth. 1
Harriett 1
Jeanatt 1
Jeanie 1
Joanna 1
Laura 1
Leonora 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Rainey surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 28
William 23
James 13
George 11
Thomas 9
Arthur 7
Charles 7
David 6
Edmund 6
Henry 6
Alfred 5
Edward 5
Joseph 5
Ernest 4
Albert 3
Frederick 3
Patrick 3
Robert 3
Samuel 3
Alexander 2
Archibald 2
Clifford 2
Edwin 2
Francis 2
Hugh 2
Michael 2
Walter 2
Wm. 2
Adam 1
Alexandra 1
Andrew 1
Daniel 1
Edgar 1
Fredk. 1
Fredk.O. 1
Geo. 1
H. 1
H.G. 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Isaac 1
Jarrold 1
Jas. 1
Levi 1
Mark 1
Micillethwaite 1
Paul 1
Peter 1
Richard 1
Theodore 1

FAQ

Rainey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rainey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 470 people were recorded with the Rainey surname. That placed it at #7,098 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rainey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,502 in 2016. That gives Rainey a modern rank of #4,120.

What does the Rainey surname mean?

Derived from a place name or from an Old French word referring to someone who lived near a boundary.

What does the Rainey map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Rainey bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.