Explore the Family Name Ratz
The meaning of Ratz
1. German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): nickname, probably for an agile or opportunistic individual, from Middle High German ratz ‘rat, marten, polecat’. 2. German (also Rätz): from a short form of any of various ancient Germanic compound personal names formed with rād, rāt ‘advice, counsel’. Compare Raetz. 3. Germanized or Americanized form of Hungarian, Slovak, and Czech Rácz (see Racz) or Rác, Serbian, Croatian, and Slovenian Rac ‘Serb’. 4. Germanized form (also Rätz) of Sorbian Radc or Rac ‘councillor’ (see Raatz 3, compare Raetz 2). 5. Jewish (Ashkenazic): acronymic surname of uncertain derivation. Some characteristic forenames: German Otto, Bernd, Gottlieb, Hans, Heinrich, Helmut, Hermann, Juergen, Kurt.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Ratz in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname "Ratz" saw a decline from 2000 to 2010. Ranked at 24,386 in 2000 and dropping to 28,176 in 2010, there was a decline of approximately 15.54 percent. In line with this trend, the count of individuals with this surname also decreased by about 11.75 percent, going from 962 in 2000 to 849 in 2010. Consequently, the proportion per 100,000 people fell by 19.44 percent, from 0.36 to 0.29.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #24,386 | #28,176 | -15.54% |
| Count | 962 | 849 | -11.75% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.36 | 0.29 | -19.44% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Ratz
In terms of ethnicity, data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows that the majority identifying with the surname "Ratz" are of White descent, making up 97.19 percent in 2000 and slightly decreasing to 96.23 percent in 2010. Those identifying as Hispanic saw an increase, from 1.25 percent in 2000 to 2.24 percent in 2010. The representation of Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native ethnicities in the Ratz surname population were both present in 2000 but not in 2010. Lastly, the category of two or more races emerged in 2010, accounting for 0.82 percent. No individuals with the surname identified as Black in either year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 97.19% | 96.23% | -0.99% |
| Hispanic | 1.25% | 2.24% | 79.2% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 0.82% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.52% | 0% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.52% | 0% | 0% |