Rathbone Surname

59,847th
Most Common
surname in the World

Approximately 8,426 people bear this surname

Most prevalent in:
England
Highest density in:
England

Rathbone Surname Definition:

This surname is derived from a geographical locality. 'of Ruabon'. There seems little doubt that these surnames hail from Cheshire, also that Ruabon is the parent. The change to Rathbone is peculiar, but perhaps the place-name Ruabon has undergone a change.

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Rathbone Surname Distribution Map

PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
England3,1801:17,5212,521
United States2,8251:128,30413,565
Australia1,1011:24,5193,354
South Africa5091:106,43912,833
Canada3791:97,21810,570
Wales1441:21,4902,281
New Zealand901:50,3158,125
Scotland511:104,9777,051
Singapore341:161,9916,884
Russia181:8,006,836292,169
Thailand171:4,155,197336,594
Germany151:5,367,031196,901
United Arab Emirates81:1,145,28440,289
Netherlands61:2,814,529101,176
Japan51:25,568,85950,629
Mauritius51:258,6838,939
Switzerland41:2,053,22997,179
Jersey31:33,0674,675
France31:22,140,907385,998
Turkey21:38,910,711171,901
Philippines21:50,619,112341,003
Northern Ireland21:922,51818,701
Ireland21:2,354,47019,715
Brazil21:107,037,1661,031,150
Hong Kong21:3,667,74211,574
Colombia21:23,887,03632,612
Cyprus11:884,87613,055
Antigua and Barbuda11:99,1712,137
Austria11:8,515,435118,036
Bulgaria11:6,978,90586,260
China11:1,367,321,56651,149
Uruguay11:3,431,75838,295
Peru11:31,784,12364,452
Ukraine11:45,522,696503,646
Denmark11:5,644,71593,155
Ethiopia11:97,546,26229,669
Italy11:61,156,688199,583
Malaysia11:29,494,225409,885
Malta11:430,2723,380
Mexico11:124,126,205103,776
New Caledonia11:276,22310,363
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
Ireland21:2,214,93333,683
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
England1,6071:15,1682,250
Wales371:42,3902,234
Scotland231:162,7496,621
Isle of Man11:54,2692,077
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
United States1,1561:43,4425,045

Rathbone (12) may also be a first name.

Rathbone Surname Meaning

From Where Does The Surname Originate? meaning and history

This surname is derived from a geographical locality. 'of Ruabon'. There seems little doubt that these surnames hail from Cheshire, also that Ruabon is the parent. The change to Rathbone is peculiar, but perhaps the place-name Ruabon has undergone a change. I furnish an instance of Rawbone from the Prestbury registers (Cheshire) dated 1603. A Thomas Rathbone was living there in 1695. His name occurs in a document; v. East Cheshire, ii. 226. This is corroborative. I see Lower says,' Rawbone, a corruption of Rathbone.' It may be the other way about.

1547. Robert Radbone and Elizabeth Smyth: Marriage Lic. (London).

1592. Peter Rathbone, of Brereton: Wills at Chester.

1605. Ann Rathbone, of Moreton, widow, ibid.

1604. Married — Thomas Rawbone and Alice Okes: Reg. Prestbury Ch. (Cheshire).

A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames (1896) by Charles Wareing Endell Bardsley

Found in 14th-cent. Cheshire records as Rathebon, does not seem to be English. If the original bearers of the name came from Ireland it answers to the Irish Rathbane, Rathbaun = ‘White Fort’ [Irish rath, a fort; also palace + bán, white]. If from Wales (as seems more likely), the name prob. means the ‘Stumpy Clearing or Plain’ [Welsh rhath, a cleared spot, plain (conn. with Irish rath) + Welsh bon, a stock, stump, stem (conn. with Irish and Gaelic bonn, a foundation, base] and is apparently allied to ‘Ratisbon.’

Surnames of the United Kingdom (1912) by Henry Harrison

“White Fort” in Welsh.

South African Surnames (1965) by Eric Rosenthal

(English, Welsh) One who came from Radbourn (stream where reeds grew), in Warwicksire, or from Radbourne, with the same meaning, in Derbyshire; dweller in a stumpy clearing.

Dictionary of American Family Names (1956) by Elsdon Coles Smith

1. An ancient personal name? 2. A corruption of Rathbourne (A-Sax.), a quick or rapid stream.

Patronymica Britannica (1860) by Mark Antony Lower

(Saxon.) An early gift.

An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names (1857) by William Arthur

There were Rathbones in Prestbury 200 years ago (E.). Richard Rathbone was mayor of Chester in 1598, and Thomas Rathbone was sheriff of that city in 1790 (H.).

Homes of Family Names in Great Britain (1890) by Henry Brougham Guppy

User-submitted Reference

This surname means 'short legs'. It is common in the United States, especially in Utah.

- mormonguy13

Rathbone Last Name Facts

Where Does The Last Name Rathbone Come From? nationality or country of origin

The last name Rathbone is most common in England. It may also occur as:. For other potential spellings of this surname click here.

How Common Is The Last Name Rathbone? popularity and diffusion

The last name Rathbone is the 59,847th most frequently used last name on earth, held by approximately 1 in 864,888 people. The surname Rathbone occurs mostly in Europe, where 41 percent of Rathbone reside; 40 percent reside in Northern Europe and 40 percent reside in British Isles. It is also the 3,306,491st most frequent first name at a global level, held by 12 people.

This surname is most commonly used in England, where it is carried by 3,180 people, or 1 in 17,521. In England Rathbone is most prevalent in: Cheshire, where 11 percent are found, West Midlands, where 11 percent are found and Greater London, where 8 percent are found. Barring England it occurs in 40 countries. It is also common in The United States, where 34 percent are found and Australia, where 13 percent are found.

Rathbone Family Population Trend historical fluctuation

The frequency of Rathbone has changed through the years. In England the number of people bearing the Rathbone last name grew 198 percent between 1881 and 2014; in The United States it grew 244 percent between 1880 and 2014; in Wales it grew 389 percent between 1881 and 2014; in Scotland it grew 222 percent between 1881 and 2014.

Rathbone Last Name Statistics demography

The religious adherence of those bearing the Rathbone last name is predominantly Catholic (50%) in Ireland.

In The United States those holding the Rathbone last name are 26.74% more likely to be registered Republicans than the national average, with 73.51% registered with the party.

The amount Rathbone earn in different countries varies greatly. In Peru they earn 261.19% more than the national average, earning S/. 70,016 per year; in South Africa they earn 79.14% more than the national average, earning R 425,712 per year; in United States they earn 2.47% less than the national average, earning $42,082 USD per year and in Canada they earn 1.46% more than the national average, earning $50,410 CAD per year.

Phonetically Similar Names

SurnameSimilarityWorldwide IncidencePrevalency
Rathbones940/
Rathbonie940/
Rathbon9313/
Ratbone934/
Rahtbone885/
Rothbone882/
Rathbune881/
Rathvone881/
Rashbone880/
Rathbane880/
Raetbone880/
Rathbuon880/
Rabone861,036/
Ratbon865/
Rothbones820/
Raybone80235/
Rathvon80141/
Raboine80101/
Rathban8023/
Rabonne807/
Raboune805/
Rabonie804/
Rahbane804/
Ratboon804/
Rabones802/
Rabonge802/
Rahboun801/
Rasbone800/
Rabon778,131/
Rabongue75221/
Rahabona75156/
Rathband75143/
Rabonque7526/
Rabonets757/
Rahbouna754/
Ranphone752/
Rahbaneh751/
Rahbouni751/
Rachbane751/
Rabonett750/
Rahban712,582/
Raybon711,843/
Rabong711,261/
Raboin711,220/
Raboni71771/
Raboun71381/
Rabane71372/
Ravone71227/
Raibon71212/
Robone71168/
Rabona7157/
Rohbogner7151/
Raabon7148/
Rotbon7140/
Rabony7117/
Ravhon719/
Raboon718/
Raubon716/
Ratban714/
Rasbon712/
Raybonnie712/
Rajbon711/
Rabond711/
Raboyn711/
Rabonk711/
Raitebane711/
Rauhbaner711/
Rabuon711/
Rabonn710/
Rabanes675,075/
Rampone672,010/
Rahbani671,565/
Rabotin67600/
Rabboni67440/
Rahaban67180/
Rabanez67104/
Rahbany6791/
Rahband6765/
Rabanne6754/
Rabotyn6754/
Rabaney6749/
Rabouni6737/
Rabaneh6728/
Ranphon6722/
Rabanea6720/
Rayboun6719/
Raboten6717/
Rabanet6713/
Rabonoa6712/
Raboina679/
Rabhane679/
Raubane679/
Rabanee678/
Raubotn678/
Raubona678/
Rabosin675/
Raybeon673/
Raiboon673/
Rashbom673/
Rahbaan673/
Ranpone672/
Rahbamn672/
Rabanei672/
Rabanie672/
Robonei672/
Rhabane672/
Raboini672/
Rabahne672/
Robonie671/
Rajbong671/
Raboony671/
Raboyna671/
Raiboni671/
Rashban671/
Rathvan671/
Roboine671/
Robonet671/
Raybonn671/
Rajbane671/
Rajboun671/
Rahuban671/
Ratvahn671/
Rabaner671/
Raabane671/
Rabhong671/
Rabongi671/
Rabouna671/
Rotbond671/
Raboona671/
Rayvone671/
Rotboon671/
Rabonit671/
Rabonny671/
Rayboin670/
Rothban670/
Rheubon670/

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Footnotes

  • Surnames are taken as the first part of an person's inherited family name, caste, clan name or in some cases patronymic
  • Descriptions may contain details on the name's etymology, origin, ethnicity and history. They are largely reproduced from 3rd party sources; diligence is advised on accepting their validity - more information
  • Name distribution statistics are generated from a global database of over 4 billion people - more information
  • Heatmap: Dark red means there is a higher occurrence of the name, transitioning to light yellow signifies a progressively lower occurrence. Clicking on selected countries will show mapping at a regional level
  • Rank: Name are ranked by incidence using the ordinal ranking method; the name that occurs the most is assigned a rank of 1; name that occur less frequently receive an incremented rank; if two or more name occur the same number of times they are assigned the same rank and successive rank is incremented by the total preceeding names
  • Ethnic group cannot necessarily be determined by geographic occurrence
  • Similar: Names listed in the "Similar" section are phonetically similar and may not have any relation to Rathbone
  • To find out more about this surname's family history, lookup records on Family​Search, My​Heritage, FindMyPast and Ancestry. Further information may be obtained by DNA analysis