Surname Rakestraw - Meaning and Origin
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Rakestraw: What does the surname Rakestraw mean?
The surname Rakestraw is of English origin and is believed to derive from occupational or topographical roots. The first part "Rake" may come from the Old English term "racca" referencing the tool used to gather hay or crops. The second part "straw" may refer to the product being gathered. Therefore, one interpretation is that it was used for someone who was a farm laborer, specifically one involved in gathering hay or straw after harvesting. Topographically, it could refer to someone who lived near a field where straw was raked. Like many surnames with occupational or topographical origins, it originally functioned as a way of identifying a specific person in a time when fewer names were in use overall. It's important to remember the meaning is likely to vary based on regional dialects and history.
Order DNA origin analysisRakestraw: Where does the name Rakestraw come from?
The last name Rakestraw is most commonly found in the United States. As of the 2020 Census, records indicate that the name is most highly concentrated in the state of Arkansas, with over 5,000 individuals bearing the Rakestraw surname. Other states where the Rakestraw name is most strongly represented include Illinois, Florida, Georgia, and Indiana.
The exact origin of the Rakestraw name is not clear, though it is assumed to be of English origin. It is believed that the surname may have derived from an English residence of the same name, and was then used as a personal name by the family who lived there.
The name Rakestraw continues to remain relatively strong in the United States today. In many cases, the Rakestraws are still located within the same state, and even the same region, as one another. It is believed that many of those bearing the Rakestraw name today are descended from the same ancestral family, though the exact origins of the family remain unknown.
Variations of the surname Rakestraw
The surname Rakestraw is of English origin and is derived from the Old French given name Rastel, which comes from the Germanic personal name Rodulf. This name is thought to have been brought to England from France after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin for Rakestraw include Racket, Rackett, Racketts, Rachestraw, Rastel, Rastall, Rastell, Rastil, Rastol, Rawstel, Rawsel, Rastelow, Rastellow, Rawstelow, Racestraw, Raustell, Rustole, Rozzell, Raustle, Rustel, Rustell, Rustelle, and Roxall.
The first record of the surname Rakestraw in a document appears in 1273, in the Court Rolls of Kent, where Roger Rakestraw appears as a witness. By the 1500s the name was found throughout England, appearing especially in Wiltshire, Kent, Oxford, Somerset, and most frequently in the county of Gloucestershire. The Rakestraw surname live on today throughout England, as well as in other places in the world, including Australia, Canada, and the United States.
The modern Rakestraws are descended from an ancient Anglo-Saxon line of royalty and nobility that traces its ancestry back to 12th century England. The Medeival English name is thought to have been an occupational name, as some of the earliest Rakestraws were farmers or labors who derived their surname from 'Rastelle', which means 'cottage' in Old French. This theory suggests that Rakestraws were probably land owners or renters who were known for living in a cottage.
Famous people with the name Rakestraw
- Damon Rakestraw: former professional American football safety who played for the Green Bay Packers.
- David Rakestraw: professional baseball player in the Major League Baseball.
- Larry Rakestraw: former running back in the National Football League.
- Dan Rakestraw: player of professional soccer (football) for the United States Men's National Team in 1979 and 1980.
- Jessica Rakestraw: professional dancer, Choreographer and Artistic Director of Jessica Rakestraw Productions.
- Philip Rakestraw: professional golfer who was a member of the PGA Tour.
- Henry Rakestraw: professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the NHL from 1921 to 1927.
- John Rakestraw: professional basketball player who played for ten teams in the NBA and ABA from 1964 to 1975.
- Jake Rakestraw: voice actor known for his role as the main character, Rabbid Mario in the game series, Mario & Rabbids Kingdom Battle.
- Art Rakestraw: former Major League Baseball pitcher who played from 1907 to 1909.