The Rawlings surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 9,652 people carried this name — #3,684 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 30,600 people counted. That is up 2% from 9,472 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Rawlings surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a baptismal name, from a given name: ‘the son of Ralph’ — the first of the origins he gives.

An early record he cites: Anabella Raulyn, 1379 — Poll Tax, West Riding of Yorkshire.

His entry covers Rawlin and Rawlings.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 638 · public domain.

In the Nordic population registers

22 people named Rawlings is counted in Sweden.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 22

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).

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Rawlings was found among the farmers of 3 counties.

It was most frequent in Wiltshire: 50 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 200. Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent. His list gives one count for the spellings Rawlings and Rawlins.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Wiltshire 50
Shropshire 12
Somerset 12

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

143 families named Rawlings, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 770 people lived in those households, 5.4 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 10 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

New Hampshire 54
Maryland 33
Maine 17
Virginia 12
North Carolina 10
Pennsylvania 5
Massachusetts 4
New York 3
South Carolina 3
Vermont 1
Connecticut 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 258 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Rawlings in American newspapers,
1885–1921.

Newspaper page from The Glasgow Courier carrying the name Rawlings
The Glasgow Courier 1921-10-14
Newspaper page from The Dillon Tribune carrying the name Rawlings
The Dillon Tribune 1885-07-11
Newspaper page from The New North-west carrying the name Rawlings
The New North-west 1896-06-19

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 107,392 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Rawlings in Australian newspapers,
1830s–1990s.

19,075 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Rawlings. The most, 3,962, 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 1.3 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 6,058
Victoria 5,144
Queensland 3,737
South Australia 1,684
Western Australia 1,187
Tasmania 1,084
ACT (Canberra) 118
Northern Territory 35

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

Who carried it

People named Rawlings,
with a public archive behind them.

  • John Rawlings d. 1981 · architect
  • Thomas Rawlings d. 1767
  • Thomas Rawlings d. 1613
  • Alexander Rawlings d. 1653
  • Adiel (? Abel) Rawlings d. 1659
  • Emmeline Fanny Rawlings d. 1915

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Rawlings,
in the records of 7 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 States729 records

729 records of the Rawlings name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 337
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 156
  • Other U.S. records 236
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Jerome Rawlings

    Born 1947; from Kirkwood, Missouri. U.S. Army, military police; killed in action 1968 in Pleiku, South Vietnam. Buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Missouri.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (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 Deward Trentis Rawlings

    Born 1923 in Arkansas. Enlisted 1943 at Little Rock; farm hand from Clay County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 2001, buried at Johnston Cemetery, Reyno, Arkansas.

    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 Wm. Hen Rawlings

    Arrived at New York in 1904 aboard the Blucher from Hamburg, aged 29; minister. From England; bound for New York.

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

Showing 3 of 729 records for Rawlings in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · 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). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia904 records

904 records of the Rawlings name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 359
  • Tasmanian Names Index 251
  • Other Australian records 294
  1. 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 Charles Rawlings

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Maria Somes, sailing from Portsmouth in 1850. Native of Bishopsgate, Middlesex. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1854. Married 1854 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 32.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Charles Rawlings

    Died 1851 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 56. Will registered in Tasmania in 1851.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Kate Rawlings

    Arrived in Victoria in 1887 aboard the Salier, aged 8; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 904 records for Rawlings in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · City of Ballarat, Avenue of Honour Plaques (CC BY 3.0 AU). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada51 records

51 records of the Rawlings name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 23
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 14
  • Other Canadian records 14
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record George William Rawlings

    Buried in 1952 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Artie Arieta Rawlings

    Died 1970 in Sandy Point, Shelburne, Nova Scotia, aged 81.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record Percival Ernest Albert Rawlings

    Died in service in 1945.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 51 records for Rawlings 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. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

United Kingdom34 records

34 records of the Rawlings name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 30
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 3
  • Welsh wills index cards 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Robert Rawlings

    Buried in 1853 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 52.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Hephzibah Rawlings

    Will proved in 1933.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record R. E. Rawlings

    Royal Field Artillery. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 34 records for Rawlings in the United Kingdom.

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

New Zealand18 records

18 records of the Rawlings name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 15
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 2
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Thomas Rawlings

    Died 1961, aged 72; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Thomas Rawlings

    Buried in 1900 at Shortland Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 67.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record George Francis Rawlings

    Died 1997, aged 80; buried at Fairhall Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 18 records for Rawlings in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

France1 record

1 record of the Rawlings 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 Georgette Charlotte Rawlings

    Born 1902 in Paris; died 1999 in Quemigny-sur-Seine (Côte-d'Or).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

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).

Netherlands1 record

1 record of the Rawlings name in the Netherlands Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths)
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Margareth Rawlings

    Married in 1949 in Gilze en Rijen.

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

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

Other spellings of this name

The same name, spelled another way.

Spellings that H. B. Guppy (England and Wales, 1890) or the Registrar-General for Ireland (births index of 1890) counted as one name together with Rawlings.

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Rawlings.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Rawlings 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 Rawlings volume
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