NameCensus.

UK surname

Rall

Derived from a Germanic personal name composed of the elements rad, meaning "counsel," and wolf, meaning "wolf."

In the 1881 census there were 16 people recorded with the Rall surname, ranking it #31,301 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 157, ranked #23,006, up from #31,301 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bothwell, Derby St Peter (Boulton), Derby St Michael (Alvaston) and Auckland St Andrew. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Leeds, Newham and Hillingdon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rall is 159 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 881.3%.

1881 census count

16

Ranked #31,301

Modern count

157

2016, ranked #23,006

Peak year

2014

159 bearers

Map years

5

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rall had 16 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,301 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 157 in 2016, ranked #23,006.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 141 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students.

Rall surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rall surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rall 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 21 #29,550
1861 historical 121 #18,148
1881 historical 16 #31,301
1891 historical 141 #19,108
1901 historical 46 #29,047
1911 historical 31 #29,952
1997 modern 104 #26,351
1998 modern 102 #27,314
1999 modern 120 #24,960
2000 modern 120 #24,950
2001 modern 112 #25,644
2002 modern 113 #26,024
2003 modern 111 #26,091
2004 modern 114 #25,870
2005 modern 122 #24,817
2006 modern 123 #24,873
2007 modern 131 #24,282
2008 modern 139 #23,635
2009 modern 143 #23,686
2010 modern 152 #23,282
2011 modern 145 #23,837
2012 modern 147 #23,567
2013 modern 151 #23,529
2014 modern 159 #22,930
2015 modern 157 #22,997
2016 modern 157 #23,006

Geography

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Where Ralls are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bothwell, Derby St Peter (Boulton), Derby St Michael (Alvaston), Auckland St Andrew, Poulton and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Leeds, Newham and Hillingdon. 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 Bothwell Lanark
2 Derby St Peter (Boulton), Derby St Michael (Alvaston) Derbyshire
3 Auckland St Andrew Durham
4 Poulton Lancashire
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Leeds 048 Leeds
2 Leeds 092 Leeds
3 Newham 026 Newham
4 Leeds 031 Leeds
5 Hillingdon 027 Hillingdon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rall

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rall

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

Rall 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

Rall 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 Rall 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
Asian - Indian

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

Meaning and origin of Rall

The surname Rall has its origins in Germany, first appearing in records from the 16th century. It is derived from the German word "rolle," meaning "roller" or "cylinder," suggesting an occupational name for someone who worked with rolls or cylinders, perhaps a baker or miller.

The earliest recorded mention of the Rall surname can be found in church records from the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, located in the northern Bavaria region of Germany. In 1567, a Hans Rall was listed as a resident of the town, indicating the name's presence in that region during the late 16th century.

Throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, the Rall name continued to be found in various German towns and villages, with some notable individuals emerging. In 1683, Johann Georg Rall was born in Hesse, Germany, and later became a highly respected Lutheran theologian and rector of the University of Giessen.

As the surname spread across German-speaking regions, variations in spelling emerged, such as Rahl, Rahl, and Rall. In the late 18th century, a Johann Rall (1732-1776) from Hesse served as a Hessian officer in the British Army during the American Revolutionary War, gaining recognition for his role in the Battle of Trenton in 1776.

Another notable figure was Friedrich Rall (1803-1878), a German painter and lithographer from Nuremberg, renowned for his landscapes and city views. His works can be found in various museums and collections across Europe.

In the 19th century, a Prussian military officer named Gustav von Rall (1823-1897) distinguished himself during the Austro-Prussian War of 1866 and the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871, earning him the prestigious Pour le Mérite military order.

As German immigration to the United States and other parts of the world increased in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the Rall surname spread to new regions, with several individuals making significant contributions in various fields.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rall families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rall 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. Lanarkshire leads with 7 Ralls recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.88x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 7 13.88x
Middlesex 4 2.56x
Kent 2 3.76x
Durham 1 2.15x
Gloucestershire 1 3.27x
Somerset 1 3.98x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bothwell in Lanarkshire leads with 6 Ralls recorded in 1881 and an index of 437.96x.

Place Total Index
Bothwell 6 437.96x
Hackney London 4 45.71x
Woolwich 2 101.52x
Cheltenham 1 42.37x
Govan 1 8.01x
Meare 1 1250.00x
Sunderland 1 121.95x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 2
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Francis 1
George 1
James 1
Joseph 1
Richard 1
Robert 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 Rall households.

FAQ

Rall surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rall surname in 1881?

In 1881, 16 people were recorded with the Rall surname. That placed it at #31,301 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rall surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 157 in 2016. That gives Rall a modern rank of #23,006.

What does the Rall surname mean?

Derived from a Germanic personal name composed of the elements rad, meaning "counsel," and wolf, meaning "wolf."

What does the Rall map show?

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