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Rath Family History

Rath Name Meaning

German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): descriptive epithet for a wise person or counselor from Middle High German rāt ‘counsel advice’ German Rat ‘counsel advice’ also ‘stock supply’. German; Swiss German (Räth): from a short form of any of various ancient Germanic compound personal names formed with rād rāt ‘counsel advice’ as the first element. This surname is also found in France (Alsace and Lorraine). German (Rhineland): habitational name from any of various places called Rath which derives from Middle Low German roden raden ‘to clear land for cultivation’. Irish: shortened form of McElrath (Mac Gille Riabhaigh).

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


Similar surnames: Roth, Ratz, Raith, Ruth, Bath, Raak, Rauth, Rach, Gath, Vath

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Rath family from?

You can see how Rath families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Rath family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Rath families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 104 Rath families living in Ontario. This was about 44% of all the recorded Rath's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Rath families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Rath surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Rath ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Rath. 68% of Rath men worked as a Farmer and 43% of Rath women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Rath were Laborer and Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for Rath | 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 1921

  • Farmer
    68%
  • Labourer
    16%
  • Income
    6%
  • Laborer
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Teacher
    43%
  • Income
    29%
  • Housekeeper
    29%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Rath family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 51,000 census records available for the last name Rath. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Rath census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Rath

Passenger Lists

There are 10,000 immigration records available for the last name Rath. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Rath immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 26,000 military records available for the last name Rath. For the veterans among your Rath ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Rath military records

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What is the average Rath lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Rath life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1942, and highest in 1997. The average life expectancy for Rath in 1942 was 27, and 79 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Rath

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Rath family tree

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