2000
#12,616
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,251
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.83
Rare Last name
Rathbone
An English locational surname derived from a place name meaning "fort on a hill" in Old English.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,444 Americans carry the last name Rathbone. That puts it at #13,614 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.71 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 140,243 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Rathbone surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Rathbone with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.4K
1 in 140,243
Census rank
#13,614
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,131 bearers of the surname Rathbone in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.71 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 13614th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Rathbone, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.0%) and Hispanic (2.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Rathbone
The surname RATHBONE is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the 13th century. It is a locational name, derived from the town of Ratburnholme in Westmorland, now known as Cumbria. The name is believed to have evolved from the Old English words "rata" meaning "ram" and "burna" meaning "stream," suggesting a connection to a stream frequented by rams.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Lancashire in 1332, where it appears as Rathbondesone. This spelling variation highlights the transition from a descriptive phrase to a more consolidated surname.
The RATHBONE name has been present in various historical records throughout the centuries. In the Hearth Tax Rolls of Cheshire in 1674, several families bearing the name were listed, indicating their presence in the region.
Notable individuals bearing the RATHBONE surname include:
1. John RATHBONE (1554-1626), an English merchant and one of the founders of the Rathbone Brothers, a prominent trading company based in Liverpool.
2. William RATHBONE VI (1819-1902), a British industrialist, philanthropist, and social reformer, known for his efforts in improving working conditions and education for the underprivileged.
3. Basil RATHBONE (1892-1967), a renowned English actor best remembered for his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes in numerous films and radio plays.
4. Eleanor RATHBONE (1872-1946), a British politician and social reformer, who campaigned for women's rights and family allowances, and was one of the first women to be elected to the British Parliament.
5. Woodbine PARISH RATHBONE (1856-1939), an English artist and illustrator, known for his intricate drawings and etchings depicting scenes from Shakespeare's plays.
The RATHBONE name has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Rathbone Place in London, and Rathbone Road in Withington, Manchester, further cementing its historical and geographical connections.
While the RATHBONE surname may have evolved over time, its origins remain deeply rooted in the English countryside, reflecting the rich tapestry of language, geography, and personal histories that have shaped many family names throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Rathbone
Among Census respondents with the surname Rathbone, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.0%) and Hispanic (2.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Rathbone bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Rathbone surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.5% · 1,949
- Two or more races4.0% · 85
- Hispanic or Latino2.3% · 50
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 20
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 16
- Black or African American0.5% · 11
Timeline
Historical Census data for Rathbone
Rathbone appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#13,771
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,197
-54 bearers (-2.4%)
Per 100,000 0.74
Rank movement Down 1,155 places
2020
#13,614
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,131
-66 bearers (-3.0%)
Per 100,000 0.71
Rank movement Up 157 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #12,616 | 2,251 | 0.83 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #13,771 | 2,197 | 0.74 | -54 bearers (-2.4%) | Down 1,155 places |
| 2020 | #13,614 | 2,131 | 0.71 | -66 bearers (-3.0%) | Up 157 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Rathbone surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #13,771 | #13,614 | 1.1% |
| Count | 2,197 | 2,131 | -3.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.74 | 0.71 | -3.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Rathbone bearers went from 2,197 to 2,131 (-3.0% change). The surname moved up 157 positions in the national ranking, going from #13,771 to #13,614.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Rathbone
FAQ
Rathbone surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Rathbone?
Name Census estimates that about 2,444 living Americans carry the surname Rathbone. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 140,243 residents.
How common is Rathbone?
Rathbone ranks #13,614 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.71 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,131 people with the surname Rathbone. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,444), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.71 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.71 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Rathbone.
Has Rathbone become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Rathbone went from 2,197 recorded bearers to 2,131. That is a decrease of 66 (-3.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #13,771 to #13,614.
What does the Census say about the background of Rathbone?
Among Census respondents with the surname Rathbone, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.0%) and Hispanic (2.3%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Rathbone in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.5% (1,949 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Rathbone appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.5%), Two or More Races (4.0%), Hispanic (2.3%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Rathbone (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Rathbone mean?
An English locational surname derived from a place name meaning "fort on a hill" in Old English. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Rathbone (0.71 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Rathbone?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the surname Rathbone on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.