Rafael History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Italy

Early Origins of the Rafael family

The surname Rafael was first found in Lucca, a city and comune in Tuscany, capital of the province of Lucca and where Bascilican type churches abound. The history commences in 218 B.C., and passed through many hands in the intervening centuries. Many notable scholars and prelates lived here. The cathedral of St Martin was begun in 1060 by Bishop Anselm, later Pope Alexander II. It has many museums and galleries. In those ancient times only persons of rank, the podesta, clergy, city officials, army officers, artists, landowners were entered into the records. To be recorded at this time, at the beginning of recorded history, was of itself a great distinction and indicative of noble ancestry.

Early History of the Rafael family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rafael research. Another 137 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1220, 1263 and 1535 are included under the topic Early Rafael History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rafael Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Raffaele, Raffaeli, Raffaèle, Raffaèli, Raffaèlo, Raffèlli, Rafèle, Raphaèl, Raffaèllo, Raphae'l, Raphaël and many more.

Early Notables of the Rafael family

More information is included under the topic Early Rafael Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rafael Ranking

In the United States, the name Rafael is the 14,785^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Rafael migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Rafael Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

T Rafael, aged 26, who landed in New Orleans, La in 1830 2
J. Rafael, who settled in San Francisco in 1852
D Rafael, aged 40, who arrived in New Orleans, La in 1853 2
Antone Enos Rafael, who settled in Nevada in 1872
Franz Rafael, who settled in America in 1873
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Rafael (post 1700) +

H. Rafael Lake (1894-1958), American architect who worked on Hotel Californian in 1923, in 1924 he partnered to create Shields, Fisher and Lake then Fisher, Lake and Traver
Lincoln Rafael Díaz Balart (1954-2025), Cuban-American attorney and politician, member of the Republican Party, the U.S. representative for Florida's 21st congressional district (1993-2011), previously served in the Florida House of Representatives and the Florida Senate, was chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute
José Rafael Cordero (b. 1987), known by the ring name Lince Dorado "Golden Lynx", American professional wrestler
Ángel Rafael Torres Ruiz (1952-2025), Dominican Major League Baseball pitcher who played in 1977 with the Cincinnati Reds
Jorge Rafael Posada Villeta (b. 1971), Puerto Rican baseball player
Álvaro Rafael Martín Uriol (b. 1994), Spanish racewalker, he competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics and 2024 Summer Olympics
Andrés Rafael Prieto Urrejola (1928-2022), Chilean football forward who played for Chile in the 1950 FIFA World Cup
José Rafael Albrecht (1941-2021), Argentine professional footballer who played as a defender (1957-1975) and at the 1962 and 1966 World Cups
Juan Rafael Torruella del Valle Sr. (1933-2020), American jurist from Puerto Rico, Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit (1994-2001)
José Rafael Abinader Wasaf (1929-2018), Dominican Republic politician, lawyer and writer, Vice-President of the Dominican Revolutionary Party

Sources +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)