Explore the Family Name Ralph

The meaning of Ralph

English: from Anglo-Norman and Middle English Raulf, Ralf, an Old French form of ancient Germanic Radulf (from rād ‘counsel, advice’ + wulf ‘wolf’), hence the usual latinization of the name as Radulfus. Ralph was a common personal name among the Normans and from the mid-13th century among the native English. Almost 7% of men in the late 14th century were named Ralph. It was pronounced in a variety of ways, giving rise to a large number of different surnames. Ralf could be shortened to Raff, hence the surname Raff and possibly Raffel. Raulf was sometimes shortened to Raul, giving us Rall and Rawlin (see Rawling). It also appears as Rauf, which was often shortened to Rau, hence the surnames Rawe and Rawkin (‘young Ralph’), as well as Haw, Hawkins, Daw and Dawkins, derived from rhyming pet forms. In late Middle English the diphthong -au- was sometimes simplified to long -a-, later pronounced ‘ay’ as in modern English day, which accounts for Rafe. This pronunciation of the personal name Ralph is still occasionally found in modern times. Ralph is a learned spelling of Ralf that became common in the 16th century. In Anglo-Norman and Middle English usage, the rarer personal name Rolf was sometimes confused with Ralf, which explains why Ralf is an alternative source for Rolf, Rowe, Dow, and their derivatives.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Ralph in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Ralph has slightly decreased in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Ralph was ranked 4106th most common surname, with a count of 7987, while in 2010, the rank dropped to 4358 with an increased count of 8153. This represents a change in rank by -6.14% and a minor increase in the count by 2.08%. The proportion of this surname per 100k people also saw a decline of -6.76%.

20002010Change
Rank#4,106#4,358-6.14%
Count7,9878,1532.08%
Proportion per 100k2.962.76-6.76%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Ralph

Regarding ethnicity, again according to the Decennial U.S. Census data, the largest group of people with the surname Ralph identify as White, although the percentage decreased from 84.70% in 2000 to 82.41% in 2010. Those identifying as Black made up the next largest group, increasing from 10.94% in 2000 to 12.14% in 2010. There was also a significant increase in the Hispanic population carrying this surname, rising from 1.55% to 2.64%, marking a 70.32% increase. However, those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, Two or more races, and American Indian and Alaskan Native saw minor changes over the decade.

20002010Change
White84.7%82.41%-2.7%
Black10.94%12.14%10.97%
Hispanic1.55%2.64%70.32%
Two or More Races1.63%1.56%-4.29%
Asian/Pacific Islander0.69%0.8%15.94%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.49%0.45%-8.16%

Ralph 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 Ralph is British & Irish, which comprises 54.4% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (21.1%) and Italian (4.0%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Eastern European, Ashkenazi Jewish, Nigerian, and Spanish & Portuguese.

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ANCESTRY BREAKDOWNCOMPOSITION
British & Irish54.4%
French & German21.1%
Italian4.0%
Other20.5%
Ralph

Possible origins of the surname Ralph

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 Ralph have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

RECENT ANCESTRY LocationPercentage
Greater London, United Kingdom86.50%
Greater Manchester, United Kingdom86.50%
West Midlands, United Kingdom86.00%
Glasgow City, United Kingdom86.00%
Lancashire, United Kingdom86.00%

What Ralph 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 Ralph is R-CTS241, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS241 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-L21 and R-L48, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Goddard, Cameron, Rees, Middleton, Kendrick, Watters, Gibbons, Davies, Knott, Howe.

The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Ralph surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.

ralphPaternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343

Your 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.

Maternal Haplo Image

What do people with the surname Ralph 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

Ralph

Chocolate Ice Cream

Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.

"Ralph" Surname 40.0%

23andMe Users 41.3%

Traits

Ralph

Misophonia

When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.

"Ralph" Surname 28.8%

23andMe Users 27.9%

Habits

Ralph

Sugary Drink

Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.

"Ralph" Surname 23.0%

23andMe Users 21.1%

Wellness

Ralph

Migraine

A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

"Ralph" Surname 16.4%

23andMe Users 16.4%

Are health conditions linked to the last name Ralph?

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 Ralph are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Y402H variant

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of irreversible vision loss among older adults. The disease results in damage to the central part of the retina (the macula), impairing vision needed for reading, driving, or even recognizing faces. The 23andMe Health + Ancestry DNA test includes the two most common variants associated with an increased risk of developing the condition: the Y402H variant in the CFH gene and the A69S variant in the ARMS2 gene. Learn more about Age-Related Macular Degeneration

British & Irish 62.1%

23andMe Users 57.2%