Rauche History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

Etymology of Rauche

What does the name Rauche mean?

The ancestral home of the Rauche family is in the German province of Bavaria. Rauche is a German nickname surname. Such names came from eke-names, or added names, that described their initial bearer through reference to a physical characteristic or other attribute. It is a name for a shaggy or unkempt person, stemming from the German word "rauch," meaning "rough, hairy." As with many early names such as this, the reference was often in jest. More likely, the origin is in reference to the smoke generated by smithies and thereby would be a trade name. The name was translated to English when the first settlers immigrated to North America, giving rise to such variations as "Smoak" or "Smoke."

Early Origins of the Rauche family

The surname Rauche was first found in Bavaria, where the name was anciently associated with the tribal conflicts of the area. Literally, the name refers to the smoke generated by smithies. For instance, a smith in Zurich was known as "Meister Roeuchli," literally "Mister Smoke," around 1468. The various branches of the Rauch and Raeuchlin families declared allegiances to many nobles and princes of early history, lending their influence in struggles for power and status within the region.

Early History of the Rauche family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rauche research. Another 137 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1455, 1522, 1740, 1743, 1745, 1808 and 1814 are included under the topic Early Rauche History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rauche Spelling Variations

One can encounter great variation in the spelling of surnames: in early times, spelling in general, and thus the spelling of names was not yet standardized; and later, spellings would change with branching and movement of families. Variations of the name Rauche include Raucher, Rauche, Raeuchlin, Reuchlin, Raeuchle, Rauck, Raucker, Raucke, Rauk, Rauker, Rauke, Smoak, Smoke, Ruch and many more.

Early Notables of the Rauche family

Prominent among members of the name Rauche in this period include Johannes Reuchlin (1455-1522), who was, together with his friend Erasmus, the driving force behind the German Renaissance. He began as a lawyer in the service of the Duke of Wuerttemberg, became a judge of...
Another 45 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Rauche Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rauche migration to the United States +

The great European flow of migration to North America, which began in the middle of the 17th century and continued into the 20th century, was particularly attractive to those from Bavaria who wished to escape either poverty or religious persecution. For many Bavarian tenant farmers, the chance to own their own land was a major incentive. So the widespread colonization of the United States began in 1650, when many immigrants from Germany settled in pockets in Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. In Canada, German settlement centered in Ontario and the prairie provinces. Among those of this surname listed in various historical records were:

Rauche Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Magdalene Rauche, aged 24, who immigrated to the United States from Hannover, Germany, in 1908
Arno Rauche, aged 19, who settled in America, in 1923
Johan S.P. Rauche, aged 59, who landed in America, in 1924