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Rafus Family History

Rafus Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Rufus, Ramus, Rafuse, Raus, Bafus, Nafus, Ras, Ranum, Rais, Rasmus

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Rafus family from?

You can see how Rafus families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Rafus family name was found in the USA, and Canada between 1880 and 1920. The most Rafus families were found in USA in 1880. In 1880 there were 8 Rafus families living in Maine. This was about 21% of all the recorded Rafus's in USA. Maine had the highest population of Rafus families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Rafus surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Rafus ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Rafus. 50% of Rafus men worked as a Laborer and 100% of Rafus women worked as a Maid.

View Census Data for Rafus | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    50%
  • Farmer
    19%
  • Labor
    19%
  • Proprietor
    13%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    100%

What Rafus family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 641 census records available for the last name Rafus. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Rafus census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Rafus

Passenger Lists

There are 40 immigration records available for the last name Rafus. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Rafus immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 130 military records available for the last name Rafus. For the veterans among your Rafus ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Rafus military records

You've only scratched the surface of Rafus family history

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What is the average Rafus lifespan?

Between 1964 and 2003, in the United States, Rafus life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1964, and highest in 1976. The average life expectancy for Rafus in 1964 was 43, and 66 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Rafus

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Rafus ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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