Surname Rape - Meaning and Origin
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Rape: What does the surname Rape mean?
The surname Rape is of Anglo-Saxon origin and can be traced back to ancient England. It is a topographical surname, which were given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree. This name is derived from Old English word "hraep" meaning "a nook" or "corner of land". Often, families adopted such names that were linked with features of the landscape where they lived. Despite the modern negative connotations of the word, it does not have any such implication in the context of the surname. However, due to its phonetic similarity with a term referring to a heinous crime, some individuals bearing this surname may have chosen to alter it over time to avoid any unpleasant associations.
Order DNA origin analysisRape: Where does the name Rape come from?
The last name Rape is found in various places in the world today. In the United States, the last name Rape is most common in the southern states, particularly in Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. In the United Kingdom, the last name Rape is most common in South East England and South Wales, with a slightly lower density found in East Anglia.
Rape is an English surname of local origin which may have derived from either of two places, one in South Yorkshire, another in North Yorkshire. It may have also originated from the Old English words meaning "hillside hollow". The surname is believed to date back to the Middle Ages; records of the name date back to the 1200s, when it was spelled Raupe.
In Germany, the Rape surname is derived from the Middle High German word ‘Rabe’, which refers to someone with a crimped or woolly hair. In France, the surname is derived from the Latin word ‘rapum’, which means ‘turnip’.
While the surname Rape is not as common as it once was, it is still present in many parts of the world today. In recent decades, people bearing the surname have emigrated from the United Kingdom, Germany, and France to a variety of countries, including the United States, Canada, and Australia.
Variations of the surname Rape
The surname Rape is an English name of Germanic origin, derived from the Olde English "Rappa" which was a nickname for a person with a hairy or matted head of hair. Variations of this surname include Raps and Rappe, which are also Dutch and German forms. Alternative spellings of Rape include Rap, Rapes, Rapp, Rapps and Rappes.
In some Germanic dialects, the surname can be a variant of the name "Raup," which has similar connotations of having matted hair. Other forms of the German and Dutch surname include Raab, Raap and Raabe, which are variations on the spelling of Rape.
Rape is also a variant of the French surname "Rappe," derived from the Old French "Rapier" for a person with matted hair. The French surname is still popular in some areas of Western Europe and has a varied spelling including Rappey, Rappeau, Raip, Raie and Raye.
In the United States, variations of the surname Rape are also linked with Welsh origins. One such variation is Rhap, which is linked to the name "Rhapsey," a Welsh nickname for somebody having rhubarb-colored hair. In addition, Roper and Ryder are linked with the Welsh form.
The surname Rape is also found in some Jewish families, where it is derived from the word "Rappe," which is the German name for a rabbi. Variations include Reppe and Rep.
Finally, there is the uncommon Irish surname Rapcavage, which is derived from the Gaelic name "O´Rapscalaigh." The English translation of this name is 'the descendant of Rapscal', an Irish clan name.
Famous people with the name Rape
- No famous people with the last name Rape are known.
- There are, however, some individuals with the name Rape, such as the American mountain climber, Robert W. Rape, who summited Mount Rainier in 1974.
- Another is Australian author, David Rape, who wrote the children’s book ‘The Touch of Evil’ in 1979.
- A third is British mixed martial artist, Marcin Rape, who competed in Cage Rage Contenders in the 2000s.
- American football player, Kyle Rape, who played for the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs in the early 2000s, is another.
- Finally, there is the Norwegian singer, Arvid Rape, who released his debut album in 2013.