Explore the Family Name Rathje

The meaning of Rathje

North German, North Frisian, and East Frisian: from a Frisian-Low German pet form of the personal name Rath 2. This surname is rare in North and East Frisia. Some characteristic forenames: German Erwin, Frieda, Willi.

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

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

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Rathje has seen a slight increase in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 34,673 in popularity and rose to 33,856 by 2010, representing a 2.36% increase. The count of people with this surname also increased from 617 to 672, an 8.91% growth over the decade. Despite these changes, the proportion per 100,000 people remained constant at 0.23 for both years.

20002010Change
Rank#34,673#33,8562.36%
Count6176728.91%
Proportion per 100k0.230.230%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Rathje

The Decennial U.S. Census also provides insight into the ethnic identity associated with the surname Rathje. Overwhelmingly, individuals with this surname identified as White, making up 98.38% of the total in 2000 and slightly decreasing to 97.62% in 2010. There were no individuals who identified as Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, or American Indian and Alaskan Native during both census years. However, by 2010, small proportions started identifying as Hispanic (0.74%) and Two or more races (0.89%). These figures indicate a slight diversification in the ethnicity of people with the Rathje surname over the decade.

20002010Change
White98.38%97.62%-0.77%
Two or More Races0%0.89%0%
Hispanic0%0.74%0%
Asian/Pacific Islander0%0%0%
Black0%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%