Contents [hide]

Rauch History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Suggested Reading Citations

Rauch History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

The ancestral home of the Rauch family is in the German province of Bavaria. Rauch is a German nickname surname. Such names came from eke-names, or added names, that described their initial bearer through reference to a physical characteristic or other attribute. It is a name for a shaggy or unkempt person, stemming from the German word "rauch," meaning "rough, hairy." As with many early names such as this, the reference was often in jest. More likely, the origin is in reference to the smoke generated by smithies and thereby would be a trade name. The name was translated to English when the first settlers immigrated to North America, giving rise to such variations as "Smoak" or "Smoke."

Early Origins of the Rauch family

The surname Rauch was first found in Bavaria, where the name was anciently associated with the tribal conflicts of the area. Literally, the name refers to the smoke generated by smithies. For instance, a smith in Zurich was known as "Meister Roeuchli," literally "Mister Smoke," around 1468. The various branches of the Rauch and Raeuchlin families declared allegiances to many nobles and princes of early history, lending their influence in struggles for power and status within the region.

Early History of the Rauch family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rauch research. Another 137 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1455, 1522, 1740, 1743, 1745, 1808 and 1814 are included under the topic Early Rauch History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rauch Spelling Variations

One can encounter great variation in the spelling of surnames: in early times, spelling in general, and thus the spelling of names was not yet standardized; and later, spellings would change with branching and movement of families. Variations of the name Rauch include Raucher, Rauche, Raeuchlin, Reuchlin, Raeuchle, Rauck, Raucker, Raucke, Rauk, Rauker, Rauke, Smoak, Smoke, Ruch and many more.

Early Notables of the Rauch family

Prominent among members of the name Rauch in this period include

Bonaventura von Rauch (1740-1814) came from Petershofen in Bavaria to become a major general in the Prussian army and director of the Engineering Academy in Berlin...

Rauch Ranking

In the United States, the name Rauch is the 4,002^nd most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 1 However, in France, the name Rauch is ranked the 3,953^rd most popular surname with an estimated 1,500 - 2,000 people with that name. 2

Rauch migration to the United States +

Thousands of German settlers came to North America between the mid-17th and mid-20th centuries. The hardships of the long voyage were balanced by the opportunity to escape poverty and religious persecution. The descendents of these settlers still populate the states of Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. Many also live in Ontario and the prairie provinces of Canada. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Rauch or a variant listed above:

Rauch Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Johannes J. Rauch, who sailed to America in 1709
Friederich Rauch, who arrived in New York, NY in 1709 3
Rudolph Rauch, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1736 3
Jakob Rauch, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1738 3
Bernhard Rauch, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1738 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Rauch Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Bartholomaus Rauch, who landed in North America in 1838 3
George Rauch, who landed in St Clair County, Illinois in 1844 3
Ignatz Rauch, who arrived in America in 1844-1845 3
Mr. Joh. Fried. Rauch, German who arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1846 aboard the ship "Creole"
Henriette Rauch, German who arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1846 aboard the ship "Creole"
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Rauch migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Rauch Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Joseph Rauch, who arrived in Canada in 1783

Contemporary Notables of the name Rauch (post 1700) +

Melissa Ivy Rauch (b. 1980), American actress, model and comedienne, best known for playing Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz on the sitcom The Big Bang Theory, nominated for the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 2013
William F. Rauch, American Republican politician, Postmaster at Nazareth, Pennsylvania, 1861-65 4
J. Ralph Rauch, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Iowa State Senate 13th District, 1970 4
Glenn Rauch, American Republican politician, Candidate in primary for Missouri State House of Representatives from Christian County, 1964 4
George Washington Rauch (1876-1940), American Democratic Party politician, U.S. Representative from Indiana 11th District, 1907-17 4
Foster Rauch, American politician, Candidate for Mayor of Covington, Kentucky, 1967 4
Charles Rauch, American politician, Member of Minnesota State House of Representatives 2nd District, 1857-58 4
Carrie Rauch, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Arizona, 2008 4
Jonathan Rauch (b. 1960), American journalist
Lawrence Lee Rauch (b. 1919), American aerospace engineer and was the chairman of the Western Hemisphere Program Committee (1963)
... (Another 8 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Rauch family +

Bismarck

Johannes Rauch (1907-1941), German Stabsmaschinist who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 5

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
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 2016, January 28) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Bismarck & Tirpitz Class - Crew List Bismarck. (Retrieved 2018, February 06). Retrieved from https://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/crew/bismarck_crew.html#crew_details