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Rainer Family History

Rainer Surname Meaning

English: variant of Raynor. German: variant of Reiner. German: topographic name a variant of Rain.

French: variant of Rainier and in North America (also) an altered form of this or of one of its variants.

Americanized or Germanized form of Slovenian and Croatian Rajner or Slovenian Rajnar: from a personal name of German origin (see Reiner 1 compare 2 above).

The surname in the form Rainer is also found in Slovenia.

Compare also Rayner and Reiner.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Rainer family from?

You can see how Rainer families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Rainer family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Rainer families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 62 Rainer families living in London. This was about 23% of all the recorded Rainer's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Rainer families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Rainer 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 Rainer ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Agricultural Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Rainer. 22% of Rainer men worked as an Agricultural Labourer and 79% of Rainer women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Rainer were Lorry Driver and Housekeeper.

View Census Data for Rainer | 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.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • Agricultural Labourer
    22%
  • General Labourer
    22%
  • Agricultural Worker
    15%
  • Lorry Driver
    15%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    79%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Domestic Servant
    4%
  • Housekeeper
    4%

What Rainer family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 19,000 census records available for the last name Rainer. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Rainer census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Rainer

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Rainer. 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 Rainer immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 7,000 military records available for the last name Rainer. For the veterans among your Rainer ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Rainer military records

You've only scratched the surface of Rainer family history

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What is the average Rainer lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Rainer life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1943, and highest in 1979. The average life expectancy for Rainer in 1943 was 46, and 70 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Rainer

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Rainer 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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