Explore the Family Name Rak
The meaning of Rak
Polish, Ukrainian, Rusyn, Belorussian, Czech, Slovak, Slovenian, Croatian, Serbian, Sorbian, and Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic); Hungarian (Rák): from Slavic rak ‘crayfish’, applied as an occupational name for someone who caught and sold crayfish, or as a nickname to someone thought to resemble such a creature. The Sorbian surname is found mainly in Germanized forms, Raak 1 and Rack 4. Some characteristic forenames: Polish Stanislaw, Danuta, Dariusz, Andrzey, Boleslaw, Janusz, Jerzy, Piotr, Slawek, Witold, Wlodzimierz, Zbigniew.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Rak in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Rak saw a slight shift in its popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Rak ranked 19,455th in terms of commonality amongst surnames in the United States. By 2010, it had dropped to 20,065th place, marking a decrease of 3.14%. However, the count of individuals with the Rak surname increased from 1,285 in 2000 to 1,332 in 2010, a rise of approximately 3.66%. Despite this increase, the proportion of people with the Rak surname per 100k decreased by 6.25%, from 0.48 in 2000 to 0.45 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #19,455 | #20,065 | -3.14% |
| Count | 1,285 | 1,332 | 3.66% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.48 | 0.45 | -6.25% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Rak
In regards to ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some interesting shifts within the Rak surname demographic from 2000 to 2010. The majority of the Rak population identified as White, increasing slightly from 95.49% in 2000 to 96.10% in 2010. Meanwhile, those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and Black saw minor decreases of 3.42% and 16.67% respectively. The percentage of Raks who claimed two or more races experienced a substantial drop of 53.63%. The most significant increase was seen amongst those identifying as Hispanic, which rose by 48.51%. Notably, there were no recorded instances of the Rak surname amongst American Indian and Alaskan Natives for both years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 95.49% | 96.1% | 0.64% |
| Hispanic | 1.01% | 1.5% | 48.51% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.17% | 1.13% | -3.42% |
| Two or More Races | 1.79% | 0.83% | -53.63% |
| Black | 0.54% | 0.45% | -16.67% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |