Explore the Family Name Raker
The meaning of Raker
1. German: from an ancient Germanic personal name, Raghar, composed of the elements rag- ‘counsel’ + hari, heri ‘army’. 2. English: occupational name from Middle English rakere, rakiere ‘raker; street-cleaner, refuse collector; scavenger’. 3. English: nickname from Middle English raiker ‘wanderer, strayer, roamer’. 4. Germanized or Americanized form of Slovenian Rakar: occupational name for someone who caught and sold crayfish, from a derivative of rak ‘crayfish’ (see Rak); or a topographic name derived from raka ‘mill-race’.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Raker in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Raker has increased significantly between 2000 and 2010. In the year 2000, Raker was ranked 15,485th in terms of popularity, but by 2010, it had jumped to 10,302nd place, marking a 33.47% increase. The number of people carrying this surname also rose from 1,736 to 3,127 during this time period, an impressive growth rate of over 80%. As a consequence, the proportion of Rakers per 100,000 individuals in the population grew by 65.62%, moving from 0.64 to 1.06.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #15,485 | #10,302 | 33.47% |
| Count | 1,736 | 3,127 | 80.13% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.64 | 1.06 | 65.62% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Raker
On the topic of ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census provides some interesting insights for the surname Raker. Between 2000 and 2010, the number of individuals with this surname identifying as White decreased by about 6%, though this group still constituted the majority at 87.82%. The percentage of Rakers identifying as Black experienced significant growth, more than doubling to reach 7.23%. The data also shows a notable increase in those identifying as Hispanic, rising by 64.22%. There were also minor increases in the categories of Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native. However, the most significant rise in terms of percentage change was seen amongst those identifying with two or more races, increasing by 50%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 93.38% | 87.82% | -5.95% |
| Black | 3.17% | 7.23% | 128.08% |
| Two or More Races | 1.32% | 1.98% | 50% |
| Hispanic | 1.09% | 1.79% | 64.22% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0.86% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0.32% | 0% |