Explore the Family Name Rau
The meaning of Rau
1. German: nickname for a ruffian, earlier for a hairy person, from Middle High German rūch, rūhe, rouch ‘hairy, shaggy, rough’. This surname is also found in France (Alsace and Lorraine). 2. English: from a medieval personal name, a variant of Ralph. 3. Italian (Sicily): from a local variant of the personal name Rao. 4. Variant of Rheault, a surname of French (or possibly Breton) origin. Compare Reau 1. 5. Indian: variant of Rao. 6. Chinese: variant of Rao. Some characteristic forenames: German Otto, Erwin, Ottmar, Bodo, Frieda, Hans, Reinold, Benno, Bernd, Bernhard, Berthel, Eberhard.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Rau in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Rau demonstrated a slight increase in popularity from 2000 to 2010. The ranking of the name Rau moved up seven spots from 3975 to 3968 over that decade, representing an approximate 0.18% change. Simultaneously, the absolute count of individuals bearing this surname grew from 8208 to 8961, a growth of around 9.17%. However, the proportion of people with the surname Rau per 100,000 remained constant at 3.04 in both years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,975 | #3,968 | 0.18% |
| Count | 8,208 | 8,961 | 9.17% |
| Proportion per 100k | 3.04 | 3.04 | 0% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Rau
The data from the Decennial U.S. Census also provides insight into the ethnic identity associated with the surname Rau. In 2000, the predominant ethnicity was White, making up 92.24% of those carrying the surname. This percentage decreased slightly by 2010 to 90.97%. There were increases in the proportions of individuals identifying as Two or more races, Hispanic, and Black - these groups rose by 47.75%, 48.00%, and 51.79%, respectively. On the other hand, there was a decrease in the percentages of Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native, dropping by 14.79% and 5.26% respectively, over the ten years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 92.24% | 90.97% | -1.38% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 3.65% | 3.11% | -14.79% |
| Hispanic | 1.5% | 2.22% | 48% |
| Black | 1.12% | 1.7% | 51.79% |
| Two or More Races | 1.11% | 1.64% | 47.75% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.38% | 0.36% | -5.26% |
Rau 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 Rau is French & German, which comprises 37.8% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (36.8%) and Eastern European (6.9%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Southern Indian Subgroup, and Ashkenazi Jewish.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| French & German | 37.8% |
| British & Irish | 36.8% |
| Eastern European | 6.9% |
| Other | 18.5% |
Possible origins of the surname Rau
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 Rau have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 71.90% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 71.90% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 71.90% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 71.90% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 71.90% |
What Rau 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 Rau is J-L70, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup J-L70 is descended from haplogroup J-M304. Other common haplogroups include R-CTS241 and I-DF29, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Beck, Frederick, Thompson, Grey, James, Leonard, Waters, Smith, Reinhardt, Doe.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Rau surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins J-M304Your 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 Rau 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.
"Rau" Surname 45.9%
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.
"Rau" Surname 24.3%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Rau" Surname 19.5%
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.
"Rau" Surname 19.0%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Rau?
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 Rau are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition