Rath Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Rath last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Rath last name
Meaning of the Rath last name: counsel, adviser. Rath is a German surname from Middle High German rat, "counsel, advice", for a town councillor or adviser. In the Rhineland it can also come from places named Rath, "clearing". This last name is common in western Germany and Austria.
Arms associated with the Rath name
Coats of arms associated with the Rath name follow the German heraldic style of simple shapes and few colours, each set out in a short blazon.
Get your full Rath family history
This is only a glimpse of the Rath story. The full Rath history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Rath coat of arms. Get the full Rath report.
Rath name FAQ
What does the Rath name mean?
Counsel, adviser. Common variants include Raht, Rathe.
Where does the Rath surname come from?
It originates in Germany, and is also found in the United States, Austria and Switzerland.
Is there a Rath coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Rath coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Duden Familiennamen; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).