The Rawson surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 6,395 people carried this name — #5,442 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 46,100 people counted. That is up 1% from 6,340 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Rawson surname

A surname originating as a patronymic.

From a Middle English variant of the given name Ralph + -son.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Rawson» (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 baptismal name, from a given name: ‘the son of Ralph’.

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

His entry covers Rawson and Raws.

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

In Argentina’s national register

At least 102 people named Rawson 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 66
City of Buenos Aires 36

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

In the first U.S. census, 1790

56 families named Rawson, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 323 people lived in those households, 5.8 to a family on average. The table counts it together with one other spelling. 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

Massachusetts 35
Virginia 6
Vermont 4
Connecticut 4
New York 3
Maine 1
New Hampshire 1
Rhode Island 1
South Carolina 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

Rawson in American newspapers,
1906–1917.

Newspaper page from The Sun carrying the name Rawson
The Sun 1917-01-07
Newspaper page from The Nebraska Advertiser carrying the name Rawson
The Nebraska Advertiser 1906-05-18
Newspaper page from The Birmingham Age-herald carrying the name Rawson
The Birmingham Age-herald 1907-06-02

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 72,613 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Rawson in Australian newspapers,
1830s–2000s.

33,296 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Rawson. The most, 11,782, date from the 1900s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in New South Wales, at 1.4 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 15,426
Victoria 8,389
Queensland 4,083
Tasmania 2,728
South Australia 1,396
Western Australia 1,057
ACT (Canberra) 165
Northern Territory 15

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

Who carried it

People named Rawson,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Edward Rawson
    Edward Rawson 1615–1693
  • Rebecca Rawson
    Rebecca Rawson 1656–1692
  • Jane Maria Rawson d. 1919
  • Jane Rawson d. 1883
  • Eleanor Charlotte Berkeley Leeds d. 1904
  • George Rawson d. 1685

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 Rawson,
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 States661 records

661 records of the Rawson name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 202
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 156
  • Other U.S. records 303
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Bernard J. Rawson

    Born 1924 in West Virginia. Enlisted 1942 at Fort Hayes Columbus, Ohio; baker. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1995, buried at Rawson Family Cemetery, Beckley, West Virginia.

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

    Arrived at New York in 1885 aboard the City of Berlin from Liverpool, aged 21; laborer. From Liverpool, England; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record James Hilton Rawson

    Born 1951; from Daleville, Mississippi. U.S. Army, utility helicopter repairer; killed in action 1970 in Pleiku, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 661 records for Rawson in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · 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: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Australia659 records

659 records of the Rawson name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 318
  • Tasmanian Names Index 137
  • Other Australian records 204
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Joseph Deakin Rawson

    Died 1905 in Latrobe, Tasmania. Will registered in Tasmania in 1906.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. 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 James Rawson

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Strathfieldsay, arriving 1836; ticket of leave 1844.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Jane Rawson

    Arrived in Victoria in 1858 aboard the White Star, aged 4; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 659 records for Rawson 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) · 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); Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

United Kingdom27 records

27 records of the Rawson name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 21
  • Scottish rolls of honour, First World War 4
  • Welsh wills index cards 2
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record James Rawson

    Will proved in 1940; of Port Talbot.

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

    Born 1890. Died 1918. Named in the University of Edinburgh roll of honour, 1914-1919.

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record F. Rawson

    West Yorkshire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1919.

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

Showing 3 of 27 records for Rawson in the United Kingdom.

Counts: 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). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: 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).

Canada21 records

21 records of the Rawson name in Canada
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 8
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 6
  • Other Canadian records 7
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Geo Rawson

    Came to Ontario in 1879 aboard the Circassian, landing at Quebec, bound for Hamilton, Ontario; English.

    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 Arthur H. Rawson

    Died 1922; buried at Brookside Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Louis Rawson

    Died 1919 in Petit-de-Grat, Richmond, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 21 records for Rawson in Canada.

Counts: Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · 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 Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. 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); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

New Zealand6 records

6 records of the Rawson name in New Zealand Christchurch City cemetery records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Myra May Rawson

    Died 1906, aged 29; buried at Linwood Cemetery, 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 Agnes Winifred Rawson

    Died 1995, aged 96; buried at Memorial Park 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 John Charles Rawson

    Died 1950, aged 67; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 6 records for Rawson in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City 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).

France2 records

2 records of the Rawson 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 Edouard Bentley Rawson

    Born 1937 in Great Britain; died 1999 in Collorec (Finistère).

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

    Born 1920 in Great Britain; died 1996 in Sainte-Alvère (Dordogne).

    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).

Netherlands2 records

2 records of the Rawson name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 1
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 1
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Sherard Rawson

    Died 1915 in Aardenburg, aged 47.

    Open Archives, Zeeuws Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Francs Rawson

    In the population register of Nijmegen; born 1846 in Hull.

    Open Archives, Regionaal Archief Nijmegen (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); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Rawson.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Rawson 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 Rawson volume
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