Rauch Family History

German, Swiss German, and Jewish (Ashkenazic) surnames are often variants of Rau. This particular surname has roots in Middle High German with the term rouch, which translates to ‘smoke’ in German as Rauch.

The name may likely represent an occupational title for a blacksmith or charcoal burner. In the context of the German name, it might also serve as a status name or nickname connected to hearth tax, which was a tax calculated based on the number of fireplaces present in each home.

This surname can also be spotted in several countries, including France (particularly in Alsace and Lorraine), Hungary, Poland, Czechia, Croatia, and Slovenia.

Additionally, it contains Gottscheerish (i.e., Gottschee German) elements, originating from the Kočevsko region in Lower Carniola, Slovenia. For a further comparison, one can look at Rauh.