Rath
A surname with several possible roots, including a place-name origin in Yorkshire and a Gaelic name meaning “grace” or “luck.”
The #5,178 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 45,760 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The surname Rath can be locational in origin, as in Rathmell in Yorkshire, which Harrison explains as an old place-name meaning “the red sandhill or sandbank,” from Old Norse elements. In Scottish and Irish material, however, Rath also appears as a Gaelic personal name or nickname meaning “grace” or “luck,” which could underlie some family names or related forms. Because the same spelling can reflect different origins in different places, the surname is not single-source in origin.
History
The best-documented English line is tied to northern place-names, especially Yorkshire. In Scottish and Gaelic contexts, the spelling overlaps with surnames such as MacRae and related forms, where Rath is glossed as a personal name rather than a place. As a result, modern bearers may descend from more than one unrelated family line.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
In 19th-century surname books, Rath is sometimes discussed alongside MacRae, because one Gaelic explanation treats Rath as a personal name meaning “the fortunate one.”
From the historical record
“2 for Rad borne, q.v. RATH M ELL (Scand.) Bel. to Rathmell (Yorks), 14th cent. Rauthmell, Domesday Rodemele = the Red Sandhill or Sandbank (Rathmell is on the R. Ribble) [O.N. rau^-r, red -f- mel-r'] RATTRAY ^(Celt.) Bel. to Rattray (Perth- RATTRY J shire^, 13th cent. Rathgriff [prob.”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)