| ![Show Contents]() Raker History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 Wales The origins of the Welsh name Raker go back to the ancient Celtic culture that existed in the hills and Moors of Wales. The forbears that initially held the name Raker once lived near a pass or narrow valley. The surname Raker is derived from the Old English word hraca, which means throat. The surname Raker belongs to the class of topographic surnames, which were given to people who resided near physical features such as hills, streams, churches, or types of trees. However, the surname Raker may be derived from residence at The Rake in Sussex, at Raikes Farm in Surrey, or at Raikes in the West Riding of Yorkshire. In this case, the surname Raker belongs to the category of habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. Early Origins of the Raker familyThe surname Raker was first found in Lincolnshire, where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects. Early History of the Raker familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Raker research. Another 94 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1690 and 1757 are included under the topic Early Raker History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Raker Spelling VariationsCompared to other ancient cultures found in the British Isles, the number of Welsh surnames are relatively few, but there are an inordinately large number of spelling variations. These spelling variations began almost as soon as surname usage became common. As a result, people could not specify how to spell their own names leaving the specific recording up to the individual scribe or priest. Those recorders would then spell the names as they heard them, causing many different variations. Later, many Welsh names were recorded in English. This transliteration process was extremely imprecise since the Brythonic Celtic language of the Welsh used many sounds the English language was not accustomed to. Finally, some variations occurred by the individual's design: a branch loyalty within a family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations were indicated by spelling variations of one's name. The Raker name over the years has been spelled Raikes, Raike, Raik, Rakes, Rake and others. Early Notables of the Raker familyMore information is included under the topic Early Raker Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Raker RankingIn the United States, the name Raker is the 16,394th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1
 Raker migration to the United States | + |
The Welsh began to emigrate to North America in the late 1800s and early 1900s in search of land, work, and freedom. Those that arrived helped shape the industry, commerce, and the cultural heritage of both Canada and the United States. The records regarding immigration and passenger show a number of people bearing the name Raker:
Raker Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- John Raker, who landed in New Jersey in 1755 2
| Contemporary Notables of the name Raker (post 1700) | + |
- Roy Raker, American Republican politician, Candidate for Michigan State House of Representatives 38th District, 1980 3
- John P. Raker, American politician, U.S. Attorney for Guam, 1952-54 3
- John Edward Raker (1863-1926), American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for California State Senate, 1898; Superior Court Judge in California, 1905-10; California Democratic State Chair, 1908-10 3
- Iva S. Raker, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from California, 1932 3
The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.
Motto: Honestum praeferre utili
Motto Translation: To prefer the honest to the profitable.
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 10) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
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Raker migration to the United States 
