NameCensus.

UK surname

Rak

Of Serbo-Croatian origin, a surname denoting someone from the region of Rak or Rake.

In the 1881 census there were 3 people recorded with the Rak surname, ranking it #33,498 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 248, ranked #16,910, up from #33,498 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Falkirk - Grahamston, West Oxfordshire and Croydon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rak is 248 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 8166.7%.

1881 census count

3

Ranked #33,498

Modern count

248

2016, ranked #16,910

Peak year

2015

248 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rak had 3 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #33,498 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 248 in 2016, ranked #16,910.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Rak surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rak surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Rak 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
1881 historical 3 #33,498
1997 modern 41 #33,552
1998 modern 38 #34,066
1999 modern 43 #33,683
2000 modern 42 #33,791
2001 modern 37 #34,082
2002 modern 40 #34,133
2003 modern 37 #34,432
2004 modern 44 #34,053
2005 modern 67 #32,196
2006 modern 100 #28,283
2007 modern 134 #23,931
2008 modern 149 #22,530
2009 modern 153 #22,611
2010 modern 159 #22,577
2011 modern 170 #21,407
2012 modern 205 #18,909
2013 modern 211 #18,872
2014 modern 238 #17,480
2015 modern 248 #16,905
2016 modern 248 #16,910

Geography

Back to top

Where Raks 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 Falkirk - Grahamston, West Oxfordshire, Croydon, Brent and Bradford. 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 Falkirk - Grahamston Falkirk
2 West Oxfordshire 004 West Oxfordshire
3 Croydon 037 Croydon
4 Brent 007 Brent
5 Bradford 039 Bradford

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Rak

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Rak

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

Established Multi-Ethnic Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Parents and young children in this Group are drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds in broadly similar proportions. Employment is typically in elementary occupations, though workers in professional, intermediate or skilled trades occupations are also present. The residential landscape is dominated by terraced housing, although semi-detached houses and flats are also present. This Group is found in London and in many provincial towns and cities throughout the U.K.

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

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Rak is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

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

Rak 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

Rak falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Rak is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Rak

The surname RAK is believed to have originated from the Slavic region of Eastern Europe, particularly in present-day Poland and the Czech Republic, around the 15th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old Slavic word "rak," which means "crab" or "crawfish." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals who were involved in fishing or lived near bodies of water where crabs and crawfish were found.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the RAK surname can be found in the Czech lands during the 16th century. In the Berní rula (Tax Roll) of 1654, which was a comprehensive tax record compiled during the reign of Ferdinand III, several individuals with the surname RAK were listed as landowners or taxpayers in various regions of Bohemia and Moravia.

In Poland, the RAK surname has a long history dating back to the 15th century. It is mentioned in various historical documents, such as the Akta Grodzkie (Castle Records) from the 16th and 17th centuries, which documented legal proceedings and transactions in various regions of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

Notable individuals with the RAK surname throughout history include Jan Rak (1610-1688), a Polish Catholic priest and theologian who served as the rector of the Jagiellonian University in Kraków; Józef Rak (1779-1854), a Polish landowner and military officer who fought in the Napoleonic Wars; and Václav Rak (1832-1912), a Czech painter and illustrator known for his landscapes and historical scenes.

In the 19th century, the RAK surname gained prominence in the United States, particularly among Polish and Czech immigrants who arrived in the country during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. One notable individual was John Rak (1872-1948), a Polish-American businessman and politician who served as the mayor of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from 1916 to 1918.

Another notable figure was Vaclav Rak (1859-1938), a Czech-American artist and sculptor who settled in Chicago and became known for his public monuments and religious sculptures adorning various churches and buildings throughout the city.

Throughout its history, the RAK surname has also been associated with various place names and localities, reflecting the geographic distribution of individuals bearing this name. For example, the village of Rakov in central Bohemia, Czech Republic, is believed to have derived its name from the surname RAK, suggesting the presence of individuals with this surname in the area.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Rak families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rak 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. Glamorgan leads with 3 Raks recorded in 1881 and an index of 58.94x.

County Total Index
Glamorgan 3 58.94x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Neath in Glamorgan leads with 3 Raks recorded in 1881 and an index of 3000.00x.

Place Total Index
Neath 3 3000.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Charlotte 1
Elizabeth 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Francis 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 Rak households.

FAQ

Rak surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rak surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3 people were recorded with the Rak surname. That placed it at #33,498 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rak surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 248 in 2016. That gives Rak a modern rank of #16,910.

What does the Rak surname mean?

Of Serbo-Croatian origin, a surname denoting someone from the region of Rak or Rake.

What does the Rak map show?

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