NameCensus.

UK surname

Rais

A surname likely derived from the Arabic word "rais" meaning a leader or chief.

In the 1881 census there were 5 people recorded with the Rais surname, ranking it #33,110 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 106, ranked #29,927, up from #33,110 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Birmingham, Kensington and Chelsea and Redbridge.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rais is 106 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 2020.0%.

1881 census count

5

Ranked #33,110

Modern count

106

2016, ranked #29,927

Peak year

2016

106 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rais had 5 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #33,110 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 106 in 2016, ranked #29,927.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 14 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students.

Rais surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rais surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rais 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 3 #32,890
1861 historical 11 #32,452
1881 historical 5 #33,110
1891 historical 14 #33,037
1901 historical 7 #33,435
1911 historical 9 #32,754
1997 modern 75 #30,109
1998 modern 79 #30,080
1999 modern 86 #29,496
2000 modern 81 #30,036
2001 modern 79 #30,065
2002 modern 87 #29,644
2003 modern 85 #29,877
2004 modern 90 #29,481
2005 modern 99 #28,177
2006 modern 93 #29,411
2007 modern 98 #29,019
2008 modern 99 #29,181
2009 modern 98 #29,906
2010 modern 104 #29,618
2011 modern 91 #31,442
2012 modern 95 #31,107
2013 modern 99 #30,934
2014 modern 104 #30,365
2015 modern 103 #30,444
2016 modern 106 #29,927

Geography

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Where Rais' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Birmingham, Kensington and Chelsea, Redbridge, Middlesbrough and Milton Keynes. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Birmingham 083 Birmingham
2 Kensington and Chelsea 017 Kensington and Chelsea
3 Redbridge 007 Redbridge
4 Middlesbrough 018 Middlesbrough
5 Milton Keynes 013 Milton Keynes

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rais

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rais

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Rais, 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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students

Nationally, the Rais surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Rais household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Married couples with dependent children are common in this Group, with many parents born in Africa or the EU. The representation of residents amongst different ethnic minority groups is high, particularly for individuals of Pakistani ethnic group. For many residents, English is not their main language, and affiliation to Christian religions is less common. Privately rented terrace properties predominate and levels of overcrowding are high. Part time work is common, with many employed in elementary occupations and sales and customer services. There are also many students living within these areas, and overall unemployment levels are high.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Young Asian Family Terraces

Within London, Rais is most associated with areas classed as Young Asian Family Terraces, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 households with dependent children typically live in terraced housing and are of (non-Chinese) Asian extraction. Individuals with Bangladeshi origins are particularly in evidence. Employment is often in elementary occupations or as process, plant or machine operatives, and part-time work is common. Students are much in evidence.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Rais is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Rais falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Rais 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
Other Ethnic Group

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

Meaning and origin of Rais

The surname Rais has its origins in France, where it first emerged in the 12th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Old French word "rais," which means "branch" or "ray." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived near a prominent tree or who worked as a woodcutter.

One of the earliest known references to the name Rais can be found in the "Livre des Métiers" (Book of Trades), a 13th-century Parisian document that listed various professions and their regulations. This document mentions a family of woodworkers with the surname Rais, suggesting that the name was already well-established by that time.

The name Rais is also mentioned in several historical records from the Middle Ages, including the "Cartulaire de l'Abbaye de Saint-Victor de Marseille" (Cartulary of the Abbey of Saint-Victor in Marseille), which dates back to the 11th century.

One of the most notable individuals with the surname Rais was Gilles de Rais (1404-1440), a French nobleman and military leader who fought alongside Joan of Arc during the Hundred Years' War. However, he later gained notoriety as a serial killer and was executed for his crimes.

Another famous bearer of the name was Jean-Baptiste Rais (1633-1707), a French architect and engineer who designed several notable buildings in Paris, including the Church of St-Roch and the Hôtel de Ville (City Hall).

In the 19th century, the name Rais gained prominence through the work of Félicien Rais (1833-1891), a French philosopher and writer who was a prominent figure in the Naturalist movement.

Other notable individuals with the surname Rais include Jacques Rais (born 1959), a French actor and comedian, and Claude Rais (1813-1888), a French general who served in the Crimean War and the Franco-Prussian War.

While the surname Rais is most commonly associated with France, it has also been found in other parts of Europe, including Belgium, Switzerland, and Italy, where it may have been introduced through migration or cultural exchange.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rais families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rais 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. Middlesex leads with 4 Rais' recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.25x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 4 8.25x
Surrey 1 4.23x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 4 Rais' recorded in 1881 and an index of 102.56x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 4 102.56x
Bermondsey 1 69.44x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Alberta 1
Annie 1
Lydia 1
Margaret 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Rais households.

Occupation Count
Housekeeper 1
Letter Carrier 1

FAQ

Rais surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rais surname in 1881?

In 1881, 5 people were recorded with the Rais surname. That placed it at #33,110 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rais surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 106 in 2016. That gives Rais a modern rank of #29,927.

What does the Rais surname mean?

A surname likely derived from the Arabic word "rais" meaning a leader or chief.

What does the Rais map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Rais 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.