Explore the Family Name Rail
The meaning of Rail
1. English (Cornwall): perhaps a nickname from Middle English raile ‘rail, bar, barrier, stake’ (Old French reille ‘bolt, bar, rung’), perhaps denoting a tall, thin man. Alternatively, it may be from Middle English rail ‘garment, robe, clothing, cloth’ (Old English hrægel). 2. German: variant of Raile. 3. Altered form of Breton (Côtes-d’Armor) Réhel: probably a habitational name from Réhel, a minor placename in Brittany.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Rail in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Rail has seen a decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 42,217th in terms of prevalence with 484 individuals bearing this name, corresponding to a proportion of 0.18 per 100,000 people. However, by 2010, the rank had fallen to 58,042 with only 350 individuals carrying the surname, lowering its proportion to 0.12 per 100,000. This represents a decline of 37.48% in the rank and 27.69% in the count.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #42,217 | #58,042 | -37.48% |
| Count | 484 | 350 | -27.69% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.18 | 0.12 | -33.33% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Rail
The ethnicity distribution of the surname Rail also shifted slightly over the same period, according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. In both 2000 and 2010, there were no recorded instances of the surname among individuals of Asian/Pacific Islander, Two or more races, Black, or American Indian and Alaskan Native descent. Among those identifying as White, the percentage dropped marginally from 93.39% in 2000 to 92% in 2010, a change of -1.49%. The most significant shift was seen in the Hispanic population, where the proportion increased from 4.34% in 2000 to 6.29% in 2010, marking a substantial 44.93% rise.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 93.39% | 92% | -1.49% |
| Hispanic | 4.34% | 6.29% | 44.93% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Black | 1.03% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |