Explore the Family Name Rath
The meaning of Rath
1. German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): descriptive epithet for a wise person or counselor, from Middle High German rāt ‘counsel, advice’, German Rat ‘counsel, advice’, also ‘stock, supply’. 2. German; Swiss German (Räth): from a short form of any of various ancient Germanic compound personal names formed with rād, rāt ‘counsel, advice’ as the first element. This surname is also found in France (Alsace and Lorraine). 3. German (Rhineland): habitational name from any of various places called Rath, which derives from Middle Low German roden, raden ‘to clear land for cultivation’. 4. Irish: shortened form of McElrath (Mac Gille Riabhaigh). Some characteristic forenames: German Otto, Hans, Kurt, Erna, Fritz, Lutz, Orlo, Reinhart, Arno, Bernd, Gerhardt, Hermann.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Rath in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Rath has experienced a slight increase in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, Rath ranked 5227th and grew to the 5178th position by 2010, an upward shift of 0.94%. Moreover, the total count of people with this surname increased by nearly 10%, from 6135 in 2000 to 6747 in 2010. The proportion per 100,000 also saw a marginal increase from 2.27 to 2.29.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #5,227 | #5,178 | 0.94% |
| Count | 6,135 | 6,747 | 9.98% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2.27 | 2.29 | 0.88% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Rath
Regarding ethnicity, according to the Decennial U.S. Census, the percentage holding the Rath surname showed varying changes across different ethnic identities from 2000 to 2010. While the Asian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic populations with the Rath surname demonstrated significant growth of 59.62% and 40.31% respectively, the number of individuals identifying as Black decreased by 39.71%. There was also a small increase of 1.96% among the American Indian and Alaskan Native population. However, the largest group, those identifying as White, saw a slight decrease of 4.79%. Meanwhile, those identifying with two or more races increased their presence by 23.74%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 89.89% | 85.58% | -4.79% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 6.24% | 9.96% | 59.62% |
| Hispanic | 1.29% | 1.81% | 40.31% |
| Two or More Races | 1.39% | 1.72% | 23.74% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.51% | 0.52% | 1.96% |
| Black | 0.68% | 0.41% | -39.71% |
Rath 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 Rath is French & German, which comprises 36.0% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (35.7%) and Eastern European (6.5%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Italian, Ashkenazi Jewish, Spanish & Portuguese, and Indonesian, Thai, Khmer & Myanma.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| French & German | 36.0% |
| British & Irish | 35.7% |
| Eastern European | 6.5% |
| Other | 21.8% |
Possible origins of the surname Rath
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 Rath have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 72.30% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 72.30% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 72.30% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 72.30% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 71.70% |
What Rath 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 Rath is R-L2, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-L2 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-P312 and R-L48, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Walther, Koenig, Beyer, Rhodes, Bayer, Bucher, Ernst, Schafer, Graf, Bader.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Rath surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your 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.
What do people with the surname Rath 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
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Rath" Surname 37.5%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Rath" Surname 25.7%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Rath" Surname 12.7%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Rath" Surname 14.5%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Rath?
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 Rath are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition