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Raphael Family History

Raphael Surname Meaning

Jewish English and German; French and Haitian (Raphaël): from the Hebrew personal name Refa'el composed of the elements refa ‘to heal’ + El ‘God’. This was borne by an archangel in the Bible.

In North America the English form of the surname has absorbed cognates from other languages e.g. Italian Raffaele Spanish Rafael.

English and Scottish: variant of Raffel.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Raphael family from?

You can see how Raphael families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Raphael family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Raphael families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 132 Raphael families living in London. This was about 57% of all the recorded Raphael's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Raphael families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Raphael 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 Raphael ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Incapacitated and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Raphael. 27% of Raphael men worked as an Incapacitated and 69% of Raphael women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Raphael were Retired and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Raphael | 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

  • Incapacitated
    27%
  • Private Means
    20%
  • Master Tailor
    14%
  • Retired
    14%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    69%
  • Private Means
    13%
  • Home Duties
    4%
  • Incapacitated
    4%

What Raphael family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 30,000 census records available for the last name Raphael. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Raphael census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Raphael

Passenger Lists

There are 9,000 immigration records available for the last name Raphael. 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 Raphael immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 5,000 military records available for the last name Raphael. For the veterans among your Raphael ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Raphael military records

You've only scratched the surface of Raphael family history

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What is the average Raphael lifespan?

Between 1948 and 2004, in the United States, Raphael life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1948, and highest in 1988. The average life expectancy for Raphael in 1948 was 43, and 71 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Raphael

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Raphael 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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