Explore the Family Name Rager
The meaning of Rager
German: 1. (also Räger): habitational name for someone from either of two places called Ragen: in Tyrol, Austria, and in former East Prussia, or from Rägen in Schleswig-Holstein. 2. from a personal name composed of the ancient Germanic elements rag- ‘counsel’ + hari, heri ‘army’. 3. possibly an altered form of Reger or Röger (see Roeger).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Rager in the United States?
Based on the data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Rager had a slight decline in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 6,253 in terms of popularity but fell to 6,425 in 2010, marking a decrease of 2.75%. Despite this drop in rank, the number of individuals with the Rager surname actually increased by 5.09%, going from 5,031 in 2000 to 5,287 in 2010. However, when taking into account the larger population, the proportion of individuals named Rager per 100k people slightly decreased by 3.76%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #6,253 | #6,425 | -2.75% |
| Count | 5,031 | 5,287 | 5.09% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.86 | 1.79 | -3.76% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Rager
The ethnic profile of individuals with the surname Rager also saw some changes between 2000 and 2010, according to the Decennial U.S. Census. While the majority of individuals named Rager identified as White in both years, there was a small decrease from 96.80% in 2000 to 95.29% in 2010. During the same period, those identifying as two or more races saw the most significant increase, jumping from 0.76% to 1.59%. The Hispanic representation in the Rager surname also increased by 55.24%, albeit from a smaller base of 1.05% in 2000. Meanwhile, Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, and American Indian and Alaskan Native groups saw modest increases in their proportions within the Rager surname.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.8% | 95.29% | -1.56% |
| Hispanic | 1.05% | 1.63% | 55.24% |
| Two or More Races | 0.76% | 1.59% | 109.21% |
| Black | 0.52% | 0.57% | 9.62% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.54% | 0.55% | 1.85% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.34% | 0.38% | 11.76% |
Rager ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Rager is British & Irish, which comprises 42.9% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (35.6%) and Italian (5.5%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Scandinavian, Spanish & Portuguese, Indigenous American, and Greek & Balkan.
Ready to learn more about your ancestry? Get the most comprehensive ancestry breakdown on the market by taking our DNA test. Shop 23andMe
| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 42.9% |
| French & German | 35.6% |
| Italian | 5.5% |
| Other | 16.1% |
Possible origins of the surname Rager
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Rager have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 88.10% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 88.10% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 88.10% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 87.30% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 87.30% |
What Rager haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Rager is R-U152, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-U152 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include I-Z58 and R-L48, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Camp, Colby, Bonham, Byars, Utter, Boykin, Lent, Ledoux, Percival, Jester.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Rager surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Rager have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Rager" Surname 44.0%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Rager" Surname 24.3%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Rager" Surname 28.6%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Rager" Surname 24.0%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Rager?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Rager are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition