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Rayner Family History

Rayner Surname Meaning

English: variant of Raynor. Jewish (Ashkenazic): artificial name from an inflected form of German rein or central Yiddish rayn ‘pure’.

Altered form of German Reiner. Americanized form of Slovenian and Croatian Rajner or Slovenian Rajnar: from a personal name of German origin (see Reiner ).

Compare Rainer.

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


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Where is the Rayner family from?

You can see how Rayner families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Rayner family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Rayner families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 1,536 Rayner families living in London. This was about 20% of all the recorded Rayner's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Rayner families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Rayner 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 Rayner ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Rayner. 7% of Rayner men worked as a General Labourer and 68% of Rayner women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Rayner were Farm Labourer and Housewife.

View Census Data for Rayner | 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

  • General Labourer
    7%
  • Builders Labourer
    3%
  • Retired
    3%
  • Farm Labourer
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    68%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    2%
  • Housewife
    2%

What Rayner family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 206,000 census records available for the last name Rayner. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Rayner census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Rayner

Passenger Lists

There are 22,000 immigration records available for the last name Rayner. 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 Rayner immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 11,000 military records available for the last name Rayner. For the veterans among your Rayner ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Rayner military records

You've only scratched the surface of Rayner family history

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What is the average Rayner lifespan?

Between 1954 and 2004, in the United States, Rayner life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1954, and highest in 1962. The average life expectancy for Rayner in 1954 was 46, and 71 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Rayner

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Rayner 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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