Explore the Family Name Rasnick

The meaning of Rasnick

1. Americanized form of German (Bavaria) Rührschneck: of Austrian origin, a humorous nickname for a slowpoke, a slow person, urging him to move, from Middle High German rüeren ‘to move’ + snecke ‘snail’ (see Schneck). Compare Rasnake and Rasnic. 2. Americanized form of Jewish Reznik or Resnik ‘butcher, ritual slaughterer’. Compare Resnick and Rasnic. 3. In some cases perhaps also an Americanized form of Slovenian Resnik. Compare Resnick. History: The progenitor of many of the Rasnicks in North America was Johann Jacob Rührschneck, a descendant of an expelled Austrian protestant originally surnamed Rierschneck, who settled in Bavaria, Germany. He came to VA during the American Revolution as one of the German auxiliary troops brought over to aid the British. He was captured in the Battle of Yorktown in 1781, but later escaped and married in Shenandoah County. His surname was ultimately Americanized as Rasnick (also Raresnick, Raresnake, etc.). Others of his descendants bore the surnames Rasnake and Rasnic.

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