History of your Surname
Get access to Rachel family records.Start a free trial

Rachel Family History

Rachel Name Meaning

German (mainly Bavaria): probably a topographic name from Middle High German rach ‘rough steep’. German: habitational name from a place called Rachel in Bohemia. Sorbian: from an Upper Sorbian derivative (originally also spelled Rachol) of the personal name Rach . French: from the female Biblical name Rachel meaning ‘ewe’ in Hebrew. In the Bible (Genesis 28–35) Rachel is the wife of Jacob and the mother of Joseph and Benjamin. English: habitational name from an unidentified place. English: perhaps sometimes from the Middle English and Biblical personal name Rachel (see 4 above) which is absent in England before the Reformation. Whatever its origin the surname has sometimes been influenced by the Hebrew name; it is otherwise unexplained.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Kachel, Richel, Rammel, Rather, Roche, Raphael, Wachtel, Rishel

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Rachel family from?

You can see how Rachel families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Rachel family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Rachel families were found in USA in 1920. In 1840 there was 1 Rachel family living in Alabama. This was about 50% of all the recorded Rachel's in USA. Alabama and 1 other state had the highest population of Rachel families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Rachel surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Rachel ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Rachel. 30% of Rachel men worked as a Laborer and 13% of Rachel women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Rachel were Carpenter and Housework. .

View Census Data for Rachel | 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

  • Laborer
    30%
  • Farmer
    25%
  • Salesman
    5%
  • Carpenter
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    13%
  • Housekeeper
    9%
  • Seamstress
    9%
  • Housework
    9%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Rachel family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 11,000 census records available for the last name Rachel. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Rachel census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Rachel

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Rachel. 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 Rachel immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Rachel. For the veterans among your Rachel ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Rachel military records

You've only scratched the surface of Rachel family history

Discover More

What is the average Rachel lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Rachel life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1942, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Rachel in 1942 was 37, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Rachel

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Rachel family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Rachel last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial