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There are approximately 8,755 people named Rankin in the UK. That makes it the 1,218th most common surname overall. Out of every million people in the UK, approximately 139 are named Rankin.

Region of origin

British Isles

Country of origin

Scotland

Language of origin

Gaelic

Religion of origin

Christian

Classification

Celtic
Diminutive

Related and similar surnames

Rankine
Ranken
Rank
Ranking
Ranckin
Rainkin
Ranckine
Rainkine
Rainkins
Rankain
Rankein
Rainckine
Rancking
Rancsin
Rankaine
Rankani
Ranekin
Rankeine
Ranakin
Rankan
Ranikine
Rankeiin
Rainkon

The Rankin surname in historical dictionaries

An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names (1857)

This name may be derived from the Danish Rank, right, upright, erect. If the name is Gaelic, it would come from Roinn, a promontory, share, or division, and Ceann, head; the head of the promontory, a name of place. Ranken, in the Dutch, signifies pranks, tricks.

Arthur, William (1857) An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. New York: Sheldon, Blakeman. Public Domain.

Patronymica Britannica (1860)

RANKIN. I always considered this a diminutive of Randolf (see Hankin) ; but there is a tradition of descent from one John, son of a knight called Jacob de Rankine, burgomaster of Ghent, who married a daughter of the head of the house of Keith, and became progenitor of the Rankines, Ranking, Rankens, Rankings, and Rangkings of Scotland, who are i-ather numerous in the West, and on the border. The tradition is, however, dateless and vague. Inf. M. H. Rankin, Esq.

Lower, Mark A (1860) Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom. London: J.R. Smith. Public Domain.

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