NameCensus.

UK surname

Rath

A German and Jewish surname derived from the Middle High German word "rat," meaning counsel or advice.

In the 1881 census there were 45 people recorded with the Rath surname, ranking it #27,314 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 251, ranked #16,744, up from #27,314 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Calderdale, East Hampshire and Swindon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rath is 263 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 457.8%.

1881 census count

45

Ranked #27,314

Modern count

251

2016, ranked #16,744

Peak year

2014

263 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rath had 45 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #27,314 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 251 in 2016, ranked #16,744.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 88 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Rath surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rath surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rath 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 31 #27,734
1861 historical 51 #27,498
1881 historical 45 #27,314
1891 historical 74 #27,538
1901 historical 88 #24,270
1911 historical 88 #24,041
1997 modern 182 #18,693
1998 modern 204 #17,896
1999 modern 201 #18,179
2000 modern 195 #18,494
2001 modern 195 #18,215
2002 modern 197 #18,474
2003 modern 197 #18,311
2004 modern 179 #19,523
2005 modern 190 #18,753
2006 modern 199 #18,357
2007 modern 207 #18,080
2008 modern 217 #17,693
2009 modern 232 #17,293
2010 modern 234 #17,544
2011 modern 232 #17,481
2012 modern 245 #16,745
2013 modern 258 #16,421
2014 modern 263 #16,334
2015 modern 252 #16,705
2016 modern 251 #16,744

Geography

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Where Raths 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 Calderdale, East Hampshire, Swindon, Gateshead and Herefordshire. 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 Calderdale 004 Calderdale
2 East Hampshire 001 East Hampshire
3 Swindon 008 Swindon
4 Gateshead 003 Gateshead
5 Herefordshire 004 Herefordshire, County of

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rath

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rath

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Rath surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Rath household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Rath 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

Rath 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

Rath falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Rath 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Rath

The surname Rath has its origins in Germany, where it first emerged in the early Middle Ages. The name is derived from the Old German word "rat," meaning counsel or advice. It is believed to have been initially used as a descriptive name for someone who was known for offering wise counsel or guidance.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Rath can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of medieval documents from the region of Saxony, dating back to the 11th century. The name appears in various forms, such as Rat, Rath, and Rathe, reflecting the spelling variations common during that time.

In the late 12th century, a nobleman named Burkhard Rath was mentioned in a charter from the Archbishopric of Cologne, suggesting that the name had already gained recognition among the German nobility. Another notable early bearer of the name was Heinrich Rath, a merchant from Lübeck who was recorded in the city's trade records in the 14th century.

The Rath surname also has connections to several place names in Germany, such as Rath bei Ratingen and Rath bei Düsseldorf, both located in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. These places likely derived their names from individuals bearing the surname Rath who lived or held property there.

Throughout history, several prominent individuals have borne the Rath surname, including:

1. Georg Rath (1522-1568), a German theologian and reformer who played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation. 2. Johann Rath (1652-1716), a German baroque composer and organist known for his contributions to sacred music. 3. Gerhard vom Rath (1830-1888), a German politician and statesman who served as the Imperial Minister of Foreign Affairs for the German Empire. 4. Ernst vom Rath (1909-1938), a German diplomat whose assassination in Paris in 1938 was used by the Nazi regime as a pretext for the Kristallnacht pogrom against Jews. 5. Günter Rath (born 1939), a German football player and manager who played for and managed several Bundesliga clubs in the 1960s and 1970s.

The Rath surname has maintained a strong presence in various regions of Germany and has also spread to other parts of the world through emigration. While its origins can be traced back to the early Middle Ages, the name continues to hold significance as a part of German cultural heritage and history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rath families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rath 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. Lancashire leads with 12 Raths recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.59x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 12 2.59x
Durham 7 6.03x
Essex 5 6.49x
Yorkshire 5 1.29x
Staffordshire 4 3.04x
Leicestershire 3 6.94x
Cambridgeshire 2 8.10x
Middlesex 1 0.26x
Surrey 1 0.53x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 8 Raths recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.46x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 8 28.46x
Kirkheaton 5 793.65x
West Ham 5 29.41x
Leek Lowe 4 228.57x
Monkwearmouth Shore 4 176.99x
Ryhope 3 370.37x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 2 185.19x
Loughborough 2 102.04x
Ardwick 1 23.98x
Chorlton Cum Hardy 1 322.58x
Harby 1 1250.00x
Kensington London 1 4.61x
Newington 1 6.94x
Rusholme 1 81.30x
Toxteth Park 1 6.38x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Annie 3
Mary 3
Ann 2
Sarah 2
Bertha 1
Bridget 1
Celia 1
Clara 1
Eliza 1
Florence 1
Hannah 1
Helen 1
Jane 1
Laura 1
Maria 1
Wilhemina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 4
John 3
Albert 2
Adolph 1
Chas. 1
Edwin 1
Emil 1
Frederick 1
H.S. 1
James 1
Patrick 1
Wm. 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 Rath households.

FAQ

Rath surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rath surname in 1881?

In 1881, 45 people were recorded with the Rath surname. That placed it at #27,314 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rath surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 251 in 2016. That gives Rath a modern rank of #16,744.

What does the Rath surname mean?

A German and Jewish surname derived from the Middle High German word "rat," meaning counsel or advice.

What does the Rath map show?

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