Surname Rankin - Meaning and Origin
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Unraveling My Rankin Lineage: A Personal Reflection on The Influence of DNA Testing on Identity
The iGENEA DNA test opened new windows to my personal identity and heritage, reshaping my perceptions through a glimpse into the past, and inspiring awe at the intricate journey of my Rankin ancestors.
B. Rankin
read moreRankin: What does the surname Rankin mean?
The surname Rankin originated from the Anglo-Saxon culture and comes from a personal name, Randolph or Rand. The suffix "-kin" means "little" or "son", hence the meaning is "son of Randolph" or "Little Rand". The name Randolph is composed of the Old Norse elements "rǫnd", meaning shield, and "wulf", meaning wolf. Therefore the name could also be interpreted as "the son of the shield wolf". The surname Rankin became popular in Scotland and Northern England. Individual bearers of the name first appeared in Scottish records in the mid-14th century. Rankin is the 418th most popular surname in the United States.
Order DNA origin analysisRankin: Where does the name Rankin come from?
Rankin is a last name that is common in North America, particularly in the United States and Canada. It is possibly most common in areas of Scotland, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. The surname is thought to be of Germanic, Old English or Scottish origin, with the earliest known references as far back as the 13th century.
Traditionally, the name Rankin traces its roots back to England, Ireland, Scotland and Germany. In Scotland, particularly, Rankin is derived from a place name in Kyle, where a number of Rankins have lived. In England, it is said to come from ‘Rand’, meaning power or borderland, and ‘kin’, meaning family.
Rankin is among the top thousand surnames in both the US and Canada. According to the Canadian census of 2016, Rankin ranked 807th in popularity among all surnames. The top provinces for Rankin as a surname are Alberta, Ontario, Nova Scotia and British Columbia. In the US, it ranked 921st in popularity among all surnames based on the most recent census in 2020.
Today, Rankin is a fairly common last name across North America. It is particularly widespread throughout the US and Canada, and shows up with regularity in certain areas of Scotland, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand.
Variations of the surname Rankin
The surname Rankin is an anglicised form of the Scottish-Gaelic name Macghinlleathain. Other variations, spellings and surnames of the same origin as Rankin include Ranken, Rankine, Rankinne, Rankenne, Rankinson, Raning, Rankein, Rankine, Rankinne, Rankineston, Ranknah, Rannken, Rannkinn, Rannkyn, Rannkyne, Rankann, Rankanneson, Rancken, Ranckin, Ranckine, Ranckinne, Rankens, Rankerson, Rankings, Rankinsen, Rankinsson, Rankinston and Rankins.
Rankin is a popular Scottish surname, and is particularly common in Ulster and Aberdeenshire. It has often been attributed to the clan Mac Gille Annan, known as MacDonalds of Glencoe, Clan Rankin or Clan Dhomhnaill Ghlinne Comhann. It is thought to be derived from the Gaelic words ‘mac’ (son), ‘gille’ (servant) and ‘Annain’ (church of St. Annan’).
There are also variations of the Rankin name related to Irish and English origin. For instance, Rankin is sometimes spelled Rinking, Rinkin or Rinkins, and is derived from the personal name Ranwulf, which was popular among Normans in the Middle Ages. In England, the name Rankin originates from Northumberland, where it evolved from the à Renkin and Rankine families. In Ireland, the Rankin family is mainly associated with County Antrim, but some branches can also be found in County Sligo and other northern counties.
The Rankin surname is believed to have first appeared in Northumberland during the 12th century, but it later spread to Scotland, Ireland and other parts of the UK and abroad. It is a very common surname, with many variations, spellings and surnames of the same origin.
Famous people with the name Rankin
- Jamie Rankin: professional ice hockey player
- Annette Rankin: American actress
- Maggie Rankin: American figure skater
- Robert Rankin: British science fiction author
- Bessie Rankin: African-American early women's rights leader
- Kaye Rankin: British Olympic gold medalist
- Les Rankin: British comedian
- Martha Rankin: American suffragist
- Jeannette Rankin: American suffragette and first female member of the United States Congress
- Henry Rankin: Scottish cricketer
- Mark Rankin: American television director and producer
- Mary Rankin: Canadian dancer
- Sambee Rankin: American songwriter
- Peter Rankin: English realist landscape and genre painter
- Craig Rankin: Canadian actor
- Hibbard Rankin: American comedy film director
- William Rankin: renowned American composer
- Tucker Rankin: American actor
- Robert Rankin Jr.: American character actor
- Jill Rankin Schneider: American poet and artist