The Rae surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 5,094 people carried this name — #6,646 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 57,800 people counted. That is up 6% from 4,825 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Rae surname

A Scottish surname transferred from the nickname. A variant of Roe.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Rae» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a nickname: ‘the roe’.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 633 · public domain.

In Argentina’s national register

At least 73 people named Rae live in Argentina.

RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Buenos Aires Province.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

Buenos Aires Province 73

RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.

In Switzerland’s population statistics

20 people named Rae live in Switzerland.

They live in 3 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Geneva.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

Geneva 10
Zurich 7
Basel-Stadt 3

Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.

In the Nordic population registers

236 people named Rae are counted in Finland and Sweden.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published. Finland counts its citizens, at home or abroad.

Counted, by country

Finland (2026) 196
Sweden (2022) 40

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown) · Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV), Finland, surname statistics, August 2026 — CC BY 4.0.

In Scotland, 1880s

Rae was 12 in every 10,000 names in Scotland.

That is about 1 in 833. Its home there, in Guppy’s words: “Scottish border counties.” He counted the more than 20,000 names in Halliburton’s County Directory of Scotland, taking Scotland as a whole, and listed only the names that reached 10 in every 10,000.

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), appendix: alphabetical list of the most frequent Scottish names, p. 593 — public domain · names in Halliburton’s County Directory of Scotland, per 10,000 for the whole country.

In Scotland’s registers today

Rae was recorded 194 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 105th most common name in those registers. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 321. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In print

Rae in American newspapers,
1906–1922.

Newspaper page from The Elk Mountain Pilot carrying the name Rae
The Elk Mountain Pilot 1922-04-06
Newspaper page from Fergus County Democrat carrying the name Rae
Fergus County Democrat 1906-10-09
Newspaper page from Fergus County Democrat carrying the name Rae
Fergus County Democrat 1906-10-27

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 1,451 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Rae in Australian newspapers,
1820s–2000s.

108,156 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Rae. The most, 19,411, date from the 1930s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Victoria, at 1.4 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 44,046
Victoria 30,408
Queensland 13,377
Western Australia 9,553
South Australia 5,702
Tasmania 4,080
ACT (Canberra) 591
Northern Territory 139

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Rae.

Who carried it

People named Rae,
with a public archive behind them.

  • John Harvey
    John Harvey d. 1820 · plantation owner
  • James Rae
    James Rae 1716–1791 · surgeon
  • Alexander Rae
    Alexander Rae 1782–1820 · actor
  • Alexander Rae
    Alexander Rae 1782–1820 · actor
  • William Rae d. 1367 · Catholic bishop
  • Johnny Rae d. 2021 · rugby league player

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Rae,
in the records of 9 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States1,221 records

1,221 records of the Rae name in the United States
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 387
  • U.S. alien registration index, 1940–1955 288
  • Other U.S. records 546
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Robert W. Rae

    Born 1924 in Massachusetts. Enlisted 1943 at Springfield; construction laborer. U.S. Air Force veteran of World War II; died 1987, buried at Massachusetts National Cemetery, Massachusetts.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Oren E. Rae

    Born 1914 in Oregon. Enlisted 1946 at Phoenix, Arizona; laboratory technician. U.S. Air Force veteran of World War II; died 1969, buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery, California.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Domenica Rae

    Arrived at New York in 1899 aboard the Spartan Prince from Genoa, aged 29; laborer. From Corbaro, Salerno, Italy.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 1,221 records for Rae in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia2,139 records

2,139 records of the Rae name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 1,212
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 354
  • Other Australian records 573
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Nellie Hawthorne Rae

    Died 1939 in Tasmania, aged 52. Will registered in Tasmania in 1939.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Mary Rae

    Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1851. Married 1851 in Great Swanport, Tasmania, aged 33.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Alexander Rae

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Burrell, arriving 1830; ticket of leave 1840. Native of Aberdeen.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)

Showing 3 of 2,139 records for Rae in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain).

Canada387 records

387 records of the Rae name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 220
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 57
  • Other Canadian records 110
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Catharin Rae

    Came to Ontario in 1867 aboard the Energy, landing at Quebec, bound for Weston, Ontario; Irish.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Harold Reid Rae

    Buried in 1980 at Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia, aged 67.

    Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Cora Agnes Rae

    Buried in 1992 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 93.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.

Showing 3 of 387 records for Rae in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

United Kingdom179 records

179 records of the Rae name in the United Kingdom
  • Stirling Council burial records 87
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 47
  • Other British records 45
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record David Ernest Rae

    Born 1882 at Edinburgh. Served in the First World War. Named in the University of Aberdeen roll of service in the Great War, 1914-1919.

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Mary Rae

    Buried in 1973 at Ballengeich Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland, aged 77.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record George Rae

    Will proved in 1905; of Bangor, Carnarvon.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)

Showing 3 of 179 records for Rae in the United Kingdom.

Counts: Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain) · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

New Zealand49 records

49 records of the Rae name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 31
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 11
  • Other New Zealand records 7
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Lewis Harryson Rae

    Buried in 1912 at Shortland Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 80.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Isabella Rae

    Died 1912, aged 56; buried at Linwood Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Marian Rae

    Died 1948, aged 84; buried at Havelock Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 49 records for Rae in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Canterbury Maps (Environment Canterbury), Timaru and Mackenzie District Councils (CC BY 3.0 NZ). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Netherlands12 records

12 records of the Rae name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 8
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 3
  • Dutch population registers 1
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record George Rae

    Died 1832 in Rotterdam, aged 40.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Gerrit Jan Rae

    Died 1941 in Enschede.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Enschede (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Stephanus Rae

    Married in 1716 in Vught.

    Open Archives, Brabants Historisch Informatie Centrum (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 12 records for Rae in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Finland6 records

6 records of the Rae name in Finland
  • Finland's war dead, 1939–1945 4
  • Finland's war dead, 1914–1922 2
  1. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record Harry Alfred Rae

    Born 1907 in Tampere; bricklayer. Died in 1941 during Finland's wars of 1939–1945; buried in Tampere.

    Kansallisarkisto, via WarSampo (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record Juho Edvard Kaarlonp Rae

    Born 1886 in Tampere; labourer. Died in 1918, one of the dead of Finland's wars of 1914–1922.

    Kansallisarkisto, via Sotasurmasampo (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 6 records for Rae in Finland.

Counts: Kansallisarkisto, via WarSampo (CC BY 4.0) · Kansallisarkisto, via Sotasurmasampo (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Livre d’or of the war dead, Paris, Ministère des pensions, Archives nationales (CC0).

France5 records

5 records of the Rae name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Rene Gilbert Leon Rae

    Born 1923 in Rousies; died 1993 in Maubeuge (Nord).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Therese Rae

    Born 1894 in Belgium; died 1991 in Noisy-le-Grand (Seine-Saint-Denis).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 5 records for Rae in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Belgium1 record

1 record of the Rae name in Belgium Belgian civil registers (births, marriages, deaths)
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Sophie Raé

    Died 1858 in Kortijk.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Kortrijk (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Rae.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Rae is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Rae volume
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