Rachel Family History

Rachel Surname Meaning

German (mainly Bavaria): probably a topographic name from Middle High German rach ‘rough steep’. German: habitational name from a place called Rachel in Bohemia. Sorbian: from an Upper Sorbian derivative (originally also spelled Rachol) of the personal name Rach.

French: from the female Biblical name Rachel meaning ‘ewe’ in Hebrew. In the Bible (Genesis 28–35) Rachel is the wife of Jacob and the mother of Joseph and Benjamin.

English: habitational name from an unidentified place. English: perhaps sometimes from the Middle English and Biblical personal name Rachel (see 4 above) which is absent in England before the Reformation.

Whatever its origin, the surname has sometimes been influenced by the Hebrew name; it is otherwise unexplained.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022

Similar surnames: Kachel, Richel, Rammel, Rather, Roche, Raphael, Wachtel, Rishel, Rajchel, Kochel

53K	Birth, Marriage, and Deaths
2K	Military Records
2K	Immigration Records
11K	Census and Voter Lists
89K	Member Trees

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Where is the Rachel family from?

You can see how Rachel families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Rachel family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Rachel families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 35 Rachel families living in London. This was about 35% of all the recorded Rachel's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Rachel families in 1891.

Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Rachel surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

View Census Data for Rachel

What did your Rachel ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid domestic duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Rachel.

View Census Data for Rachel

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.

Unpaid domestic duties

84%

Unpaid domestic dut

Domestic servant

What Rachel family records will you find?

Census Record

There are 11K census records available for the last name Rachel. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Rachel census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Rachel

Passenger List

There are 2K immigration records available for the last name Rachel. 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.

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Military Records

There are 2K military records available for the last name Rachel. For the veterans among your Rachel ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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You've only scratched the surface of Rachel family history

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What is the average Rachel lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Rachel life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1942, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Rachel in 1942 was 37, and 74 in 2004.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Rachel family tree

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Rachel Surname Meaning

French: from the female Biblical name Rachel meaning ‘ewe’ in Hebrew. In the Bible (Genesis 28–35) Rachel is the wife of Jacob and the mother of Joseph and Benjamin.

Whatever its origin, the surname has sometimes been influenced by the Hebrew name; it is otherwise unexplained.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022

Where is the Rachel family from?

What did your Rachel ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid domestic duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Rachel.

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.

Unpaid domestic duties

84%

Unpaid domestic dut

Domestic servant

What Rachel family records will you find?

What is the average Rachel lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Rachel life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1942, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Rachel in 1942 was 37, and 74 in 2004.

Rachel Family History

Rachel Surname Meaning

159,000 record(s) for Rachel

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

Where is the Rachel family from?

What did your Rachel ancestors do for a living?

Top Female Occupations In 1939

What Rachel family records will you find?

Census Record

Passenger List

Military Records

You've only scratched the surface of Rachel family history

What is the average Rachel lifespan?

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Rachel family tree

Search for another surname

Rachel Surname Meaning

159,000 record(s) for Rachel

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

Where is the Rachel family from?

What did your Rachel ancestors do for a living?

Top Female Occupations In 1939

What Rachel family records will you find?

Census Record

Passenger List

Military Records

You've only scratched the surface of Rachel family history

What is the average Rachel lifespan?

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Rachel family tree

Search for another surname