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Rau Family History

Rau Surname Meaning

German: nickname for a ruffian earlier for a hairy person from Middle High German rūch rūhe rouch ‘hairy shaggy rough’. This surname is also found in France (Alsace and Lorraine).

English: from a medieval personal name a variant of Ralph.

Italian (Sicily): from a local variant of the personal name Rao. Variant of Rheault a surname of French (or possibly Breton) origin.

Compare Reau.

Indian: variant of Rao. Chinese: variant of Rao.

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


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Where is the Rau family from?

You can see how Rau families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Rau family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Rau families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 9 Rau families living in London. This was about 82% of all the recorded Rau's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Rau families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Rau 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 Rau ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Medical Practitioner and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Rau. 100% of Rau men worked as a Medical Practitioner and 67% of Rau women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Rau | 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

  • Medical Practitioner
    100%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    67%
  • Private Means
    34%

What Rau family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 27,000 census records available for the last name Rau. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Rau census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Rau

Passenger Lists

There are 6,000 immigration records available for the last name Rau. 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 Rau immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 14,000 military records available for the last name Rau. For the veterans among your Rau ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Rau military records

You've only scratched the surface of Rau family history

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What is the average Rau lifespan?

Between 1946 and 2004, in the United States, Rau life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1961, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Rau in 1946 was 60, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Rau

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Rau 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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