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Rates Family History

Rates Name Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Gates, Mates, Rater, Yates, Cates, Kates, Tates, Bates, Rayes, Oates

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Rates family from?

You can see how Rates families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Rates family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Rates families were found in USA in 1920. In 1840 there was 1 Rates family living in North Carolina. This was about 50% of all the recorded Rates's in USA. North Carolina and 1 other state had the highest population of Rates families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Rates surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Rates ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Servant were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Rates. 34% of Rates men worked as a Farmer and 100% of Rates women worked as a Servant. .

View Census Data for Rates | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    34%
  • Laborer
    25%
  • Machinist
    16%
  • Miner
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Servant
    100%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Rates family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 4,000 census records available for the last name Rates. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Rates census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Rates

Passenger Lists

There are 336 immigration records available for the last name Rates. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Rates immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 4,000 military records available for the last name Rates. For the veterans among your Rates ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Rates military records

You've only scratched the surface of Rates family history

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What is the average Rates lifespan?

Between 1960 and 2004, in the United States, Rates life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1996, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Rates in 1960 was 56, and 53 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Rates

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