Explore the Family Name Rayo
The meaning of Rayo
1. Spanish: from rayo ‘flash of lightning’, possibly a nickname in the sense ‘lively’. 2. Catalan (Rayó): possibly a nickname from reió ‘little king’. 3. Asturian-Leonese: Castilianized form of a habitational name from El Rayu, a town in Asturias (Spain). Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Francisco, Andres, Armando, Enrique, Felipe, Francisca, Adelaido, Adriana, Alvaro, Ascencion, Augusto, Bulmaro.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Rayo in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname 'Rayo' has seen a significant increase over the years. In 2000, Rayo was ranked 15,207 in terms of its prevalence, but by 2010, it had jumped to 12,242, marking a 19.5% rise. The count of people with this surname also increased from 1,777 in 2000 to 2,541 in 2010, a surge of approximately 43%. Consequently, the proportion of individuals named Rayo per 100k people rose by 30.3%, escalating from 0.66 to 0.86.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #15,207 | #12,242 | 19.5% |
| Count | 1,777 | 2,541 | 42.99% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.66 | 0.86 | 30.3% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Rayo
In terms of ethnicity, based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, there were some notable shifts between 2000 and 2010. The majority of individuals with the surname Rayo identified as Hispanic, increasing from 80.08% in 2000 to 89.22% in 2010. While those who identified as White decreased significantly from 13.22% to 5.75%, and those identifying as Black dropped from 2.25% to 0.83%. The percentage of people identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander also saw a slight decrease from 3.88% to 3.78%. There were no recorded changes for those identifying with two or more races, or as American Indian and Alaskan Native.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 80.08% | 89.22% | 11.41% |
| White | 13.22% | 5.75% | -56.51% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 3.88% | 3.78% | -2.58% |
| Black | 2.25% | 0.83% | -63.11% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |